UC-NRLF 


SOCIAL  USAGES 

HT 

WASHINGTON 

FLORENCE  HOWE  HALL 


CO 


>- 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


BEQUEST 

OF 
ANITA  D.  S.  BLAKE 


Social    Usages 

at 

Washington 


Florence  Howe  Hall 


New  York  and  London 

Harper  &  Brothers  Publishers 

1906 


Copyright,  1906,  by  HARPER  &  BROTHERS. 

All  rights  reserved. 
Published  November,  1906. 


GIFT 


BJ/as* 
Hz 


Contents 

CHAP.  PAGE 

I.  PRESENT  DAY  USAGES  AT  THE  WHITE 

HOUSE i 

II.  WHITE    HOUSE    ETIQUETTE  —  RECEP- 

TIONS, CALLS,  ETC 21 

III.  THE  MATTER  OF  PRECEDENCE.     .     .  38 

IV.  AMERICAN  OFFICIAL  ETIQUETTE    .     .  58 

V.  DIPLOMATIC  ETIQUETTE 90 

VI.  CALLING 107 

VII.  GENERAL    ENTERTAINING    IN    WASH- 

INGTON        127 

VIII.  DISTINCTIVE  FEATURES  OF  WASHING- 

TON SOCIETY 138 

IX.  SOCIAL  BACKGROUNDS 150 


540 


Preface 

THE  social  usages  of  Washington  dif- 
fer in  many  important  respects  from 
those  of  the  rest  of  the  country,  because 
it  is  the  seat  of  our  Federal  government 
and  the  home  of  a  large  official  world. 
The  courtesies  which  are  an  indispen- 
sable part  of  civilized  life,  are  of  peculiar 
importance  in  a  national  capital,  the 
great  household  where  the  servants  of 
our  republic  and  those  of  foreign  powers 
and  principalities  dwell  together  in  more 
or  less  concord.  If  one  lady  fails  in 
courtesy  towards  another  in  New  York 
or  Philadelphia  the  consequences  are 
not  apt  to  affect  public  affairs.  If  the 
wife  of  a  member  of  the  Cabinet  neglects 


Preface 

to  pay  the  calls  required  of  her,  her  hus- 
band may  be  asked  to  resign  his  position, 
as  in  Andrew  Jackson's  regime,  when  the 
whole  Cabinet  was  upset  by  the  unfort- 
unate Eaton  affair.  A  neglect  or  slight 
to  a  foreign  envoy  may  lead  to  great  irri- 
tation or  even  to  war  with  the  country 
he  represents.  It  is  said  the  British 
Minister  Merry  joined  in  the  Burr  con- 
spiracy against  our  government  because 
President  Jefferson  had  received  him 
with  an  informality  of  costume  which  he 
thought  was  intended  as  an  insult.  Yet 
such  a  slight  may  be  wholly  uninten- 
tional, or  may  arise  from  a  failure  to 
understand  local  rules  of  behavior.  To 
avoid  these  dangers  it  has  been  neces- 
sary to  make  careful  regulations  and 
regulations  which  should  be  understood 
by  people  of  all  nationalities.  This  has 
been  a  part  of  the  business  of  diplomacy 
for  many  years,  and  diplomats  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  world  have  evolved  a 
vi 


Preface 

system  of  etiquette  which  may  be  called 
a  universal  language  of  politeness.  It 
differs  in  details  in  different  countries, 
but  the  main  features  are  the  same. 
This  universal  language  has  been  ac- 
cepted to  a  great  degree  in  Washington, 
hence  its  social  usages,  so  far  as  they  re- 
late to  the  official  world,  are  much  like 
those  of  European  capitals,  simplified  in 
order  to  conform  to  our  republican 
ideals. 

The  etiquette  of  our  Federal  capital 
differs  from  that  of  other  American  cities 
in  some  respects,  as  has  been  said,  but 
resembles  it  in  others.  The  old  resi- 
dents are  familiar  with  the  peculiar  feat- 
ures of  Washington  customs,  although 
even  the  Cave  -  dwellers,  as  they  are 
called,  do  not  all  hold  the  same  views  on 
certain  points.  To  new-comers  and  to 
the  great  army  of  transient  visitors  the 
whole  subject  is  puzzling. 

Every  one  goes  or  will  go  at  some 
vii 


Preface 

future  time  to  the  Capitol.  While  there  it 
is  desirable  to  see  such  public  characters 
and  functions  as  one  can  visit  or  behold 
with  propriety,  yet  it  is  unfortunate  to 
intrude  where  one  has  not  the  right  to 
enter.  Hence,  every  one  needs  to  know 
something  of  the  social  usages  of  the  city. 

"  To  trespass  on  a  public  servant  is  to 
trespass  on  a  nation's  time"  says  Emerson. 

This  little  book  has  been  prepared  in 
the  hope  that  it  would  be  of  use  to  many 
readers  and  of  interest  to  many  more. 
Others  of  the  same  sort  have  been  pub- 
lished in  past  years,  but  these,  although 
doubtless  valuable  in  their  time,  are  now 
not  only  out  of  date,  but,  as  I  am  told, 
out  of  print. 

In  writing  these  chapters  I  have  en- 
deavored to  confine  myself  so  far  as  pos- 
sible to  general  principles  and  to  avoid 
confusing  the  reader  by  a  mass  of  detail. 
They  have  been  prepared  with  the  as- 
sistance of  persons  thoroughly  familiar 
viii 


Preface 

with  the  rules  of  official  etiquette  and 
long  acquainted  with  the  best  usages  of 
Washington  society.  I  take  this  oppor- 
tunity to  express  my  sincere  gratitude 
to  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  in  official 
life,  to  those  connected  with  the  Press, 
and  to  the  private  citizens  who  have 
with  great  kindness  helped  me  in  the 
performance  of  my  task.  It  should  be  a 
worthy  one  if  performed  in  the  right 
spirit.  The  father  of  our  country  set  us 
a  high  example  in  behavior,  and  was  in- 
terested in  the  subject  from  his  early 
youth,  as  his  published  writings  show. 
On  assuming  the  reins  of  government  he 
strove  to  give  the  social  relations  of  the 
infant  republic  and  its  representatives 
both  dignity  and  simplicity.  His  prin- 
ciples were  for  a  time  misunderstood  and 
set  aside.  When  our  ancestors  discard- 
ed periwigs  and  small  swords  they  very 
properly  gave  up  the  extreme  formality 
of  the  early  period.  In  their  desire  to 
ix 


Preface 

be  natural  they  abandoned  too  far  the 
refinement  of  behavior  which  distin- 
guishes the  civilized  man  from  the  bar- 
barian. Modern  science  has  shown  us 
that  the  inevitable  tendency  of  the 
human  race  is  towards  a  constant  de- 
velopment and  improvement  of  man- 
ners, whose  beginnings  we  can  see  in  the 
conduct  of  the  higher  animals.  Every 
lover  of  dogs  knows  that  there  is  a 
canine  code  of  etiquette,  some  dogs  be- 
ing more  polite  than  certain  people. 

Hence  the  sober  second  thought  of  the 
nation  is  turning  to  the  wise  principles  of 
its  noble  founder.  The  recognition  of 
these  in  Washington,  the  city  that  bears 
his  name,  is  eminently  fitting.  When  as 
a  young  nation  we  took  his  coat-of-arms, 
the  emblem  of  knightly  and  courteous 
behavior,  and  blazoned  it  upon  our  flag, 
we  incurred  certain  duties  and  respon- 
sibilities. It  would  be  a  doubtful  com- 
pliment to  a  man  to  assume  his  cogni- 
x 


Preface 

zance  without  trying  to  sustain  its  honor. 
The  stars  and  stripes  should  remind  us 
not  only  of  the  duty  of  patriotism,  but 
of  the  duty  of  maintaining  a  behavior 
worthy  of  the  heirs  of  Washington. 

FLORENCE  HOWE  HALL. 


Social  Usages  at 
Washington 


Social   Usages   at 
Washington 


PRESENT     DAY     USAGES     AT     THE     WHITE 
HOUSE 

AS  the  visitor  enters  the  remodelled 
White  House,  his  first  feeling  is 
one  of  pleasure  and  gratification.  The 
stately  corridors  brightened  by  the  sun- 
light streaming  through  the  windows, 
and  adorned  by  the  portraits  of  presi- 
dents, make  a  fitting  entrance  to  the 
abode  of  our  Chief  Magistrate.  A  great 
cluster  of  flowers  sweetens  the  air,  and 
is  evidently  placed  there  for  the  public 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

to  enjoy.  Gold  stars  set  in  the  marble 
floor  give  the  dates  of  the  construction 
and  renovation  of  the  White  House.  The 
latter  has  been  artistically  and  happily 
accomplished  under  the  present  adminis- 
tration, and  was  an  absolute  necessity. 
The  restoration  of  the  two  wings  adds 
much  beauty  and  dignity  to  the  exterior 
of  the  building,  while  they  give  space 
that  was  much  needed  for  the  accom- 
modation of  guests  at  public  receptions, 
on  the  east  side  and  for  offices  on  the 
west.  Now  that  the  latter  have  been 
removed  from  their  old  quarters  in  the 
second  story  of  the  main  building,  the 
family  have  more  room  and  greater 
privacy.  It  seems  strange  that  up  to 
the  present  time,  "the  first  lady  in  the 
land"  should  have  been  less  privileged 
in  this  respect  than  thousands  of  her 
fellow  -  citizens.  To  have  the  private 
apartments  of  the  family  on  the  same 
floor  as  the  public  offices,  and  greatly 


Present  Day  Usages 

crowded  by  them,  must  indeed  have 
been  most  unpleasant  for  our  Chief  Mag- 
istrate. "The  President  of  the  United 
States  lived  practically  over  his  work- 
shop" until  these  changes  were  made. 

Sight-seers  are  freely  admitted  to  the 
Executive  Mansion,  as  in  the  past,  cer- 
tain rooms  being  shown  them  at  certain 
fixed  hours.  When  one  sees  tourists 
sitting  about  in  the  beautiful  East  Room, 
the  state  apartment,  and  making  them- 
selves completely  at  home  there,  one 
wonders  how  long  the  furniture  will  re- 
tain its  beauty  and  freshness  under  this 
treatment.  The  French  Republic  is  wiser 
than  ours  in  this  respect.  It  throws 
open  its  beautiful  palaces  to  the  people 
—to  whom  everything  belongs — but  no 
one  is  allowed  to  use  public  property  as 
if  it  belonged  to  him  personally.  This 
is  a  lesson  which  we  in  America  have  not 
fully  learned.  We  are  so  strongly  im- 
bued with  the  idea  of  the  rights  of  the 
3 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

individual  that  we  sometimes  forget 
those  of  the  public  as  a  whole.  Our 
Chief  Magistrate  is  at  once  the  ruler  and 
the  servant  of  our  entire  people.  He  is 
pledged  to  promote  the  welfare  of  all — 
and  the  task  is  a  tremendous  one.  His 
public  duties,  those  which  his  oath  of 
office  binds  him  to  perform,  must  come 
first.  His  duties  to  the  individual,  the 
social  side  of  life,  are  necessarily  of  sec- 
ondary importance.  Hence,  with  the 
tremendous  increase  of  the  business 
pressing  upon  him,  and  the  ever-grow- 
ing number  of  people  flocking  to  the 
national  capital,  the  problem  of  our 
Chief  Magistrate  becomes  always  more 
difficult. 

Owing  to  the  delicate  health  of  the 
last  lady  of  the  White  House,  Mrs. 
McKinley,  the  attention  paid  to  social 
functions  was  necessarily  much  cur- 
tailed. Thus  the  new  administration 
was  unable  to  follow  closely  in  the  foot- 
4 


Present  Day  Usages 

steps  of  its  predecessor,  and  it  became 
necessary  to  make  a  new  policy  with 
regard  to  entertainments.  The  great 
official  occasions,  the  state  dinners  and 
receptions,  are  obligatory  and  go  on 
from  one  season  to  another  with  little 
change.  In  reorganizing  the  social  life 
of  the  Executive  Mansion,  President 
Roosevelt  has  shown  his  accustomed 
energy,  ability,  and  good-sense.  When 
he  discarded  this  more  formal  name, 
and  returned  to  that  of  ".White  House/' 
he  did  a  thing  both  wise  and  popular. 
The  experience  gained  in  his  earlier  offi- 
cial life,  and  especially  while  serving  as 
Governor  of  the  great  State  of  New  York, 
has  doubtless  been  of  much  assistance  to 
him  and  to  Mrs.  Roosevelt,  in  the  wider 
field  of  Washington.  Never,  perhaps, 
have  the  occupants  of  the  White  House 
shown  greater  hospitality,  certainly  no 
President  in  recent  years  has  entertained 
so  much  and  so  constantly.  Mr.  Roose- 
5 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

velt's  great  personal  popularity,  combined 
with  the  fact  that  he  and  Mrs.  Roosevelt 
have  been  connected  for  so  long  with  the 
society  of  the  Metropolis,  has  given  them 
a  very  large  circle  of  friends  and  ac- 
quaintances. 

To  entertain  on  this  new  and  larger 
scale  it  has  been  necessary  to  employ 
more  assistants  than  were  needed  in  the 
old  days  when  Washington  was  a  smaller 
city.  The  result  has  been  a  greater 
formality  in  some  respects,  yet  not 
more  than  belongs  properly  to  the  dig- 
nity of  our  Republic.  Several  army  and 
navy  officers  are  now  employed  as  aides 
to  the  President. 

The  names  of  the  officers  who  were  on 
duty  at  the  White  House  during  the  sea- 
son of  1905-1906  are  as  follows: 

Colonel  Charles  S.  Bromwell,  United 
States  Army,  Military  Aide. 

Lieutenant-Commander  Albert  L.  Key, 
United  States  Navy,  Naval  Aide. 
6 


Present  Day  Usages 

Major  Charles  L.  McCawley,  United 
States  Marine  Corps,  in  charge  of  cere- 
monies and  entertainments. 

Aides  : 

Captain  Arthur  E.  Harding,  United 
States  Marine  Corps. 

Captain  Guy  V.  Henry,  United  States 
Army. 

Lieutenant  Chauncey  Shackford,  Unit- 
ed States  Navy. 

Captain  Daniel  T.  Moore,  United  States 
Army. 

Captain  Fitzhugh  Lee,  United  States 
Army. 

First  Lieutenant  Ulysses  S.  Grant  3d, 
United  States  Army. 

Second  Lieutenant  Philip  H.  Sheridan, 
United  States  Army. 

Ensign  Adolphus  Andrews,  United 
States  Navy. 

It  is  pleasant  to  note  in  this  list  the 
historic  names  of  Grant,  Lee,  and  Sheri- 
dan, borne  no  longer  by  opponents  but 
7 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

by  men  acting  harmoniously  together  in 
the  same  service. 

"  Peace  hath  her  victories 
No  less  renowned  than  war.'! 

Mrs.  Roosevelt  has  the  assistance  of  a 
"social  secretary" — a  lady  who  is  fa- 
miliar with  the  duties  of  her  position 
and  with  the  usages  of  Washington  so- 
ciety. This  is  a  new  departure,  but  one 
in  the  line  of  progress.  It  is  certainly 
fitting  that  the  mistress  of  the  White 
House  should  have  the  services  of  a 
trained  specialist,  and  the  social  position 
given  to  Miss  Hagner  should  be  very 
gratifying  to  women  wage-earners  all  over 
our  country.  She  assists  Mrs.  Roose- 
velt not  only  in  her  correspondence,  but 
also  at  the  afternoon  teas,  which  are 
a  feature  of  present  day  White  House 
hospitality.  One  of  these  is  given  early 
in  the  season  for  the  Diplomatic  Corps, 
and  others  follow. 

8 


Present  Day  Usages 

Musicales  are  another  pleasant  inno- 
vation at  the  Executive  Mansion.  These 
are  Mrs.  Roosevelt's  parties,  the  invita- 
tions being  in  her  name,  thus  freeing  the 
President  from  the  obligation  of  attend- 
ing them,  should  the  pressure  on  his 
time  make  it  inconvenient.  He  is  us- 
ually present,  however.  Mrs.  Roosevelt 
receives  her  guests  in  the  green  parlor, 
which  is  said  to  be  her  favorite  apart- 
ment in  the  suite  of  drawing-rooms.  All 
guests  pass  through  into  the  East  Room, 
where  the  music  is  given,  the  gold  grand- 
piano  making  a  bright  touch  in  the  other- 
wise rather  quiet  scheme  of  color.  It  was 
given  to  the  White  House  by  the  Stein- 
ways  as  being  the  one  hundred  thou- 
sandth piano  manufactured  by  the  firm. 
Two  tall  vases  of  blue  Sevres  ware  pre- 
sented by  the  French  government  are 
among  the  few  ornaments  of  this  beauti- 
ful and  dignified  apartment.  The  ceil- 
ing and  wall  decorations  are  white  and 
9 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

in  low  relief.  On  the  occasion  of  the 
musicales,  the  lady  of  the  White  House 
takes  her  seat  in  a  handsome  chair 
placed  near  the  entrance  to  the  East 
Room.  Two  aides  in  full  uniform  are 
behind  her,  to  be  in  readiness  should 
the  hostess  need  their  services.  The 
whole  effect  is  very  pretty  and  pictu- 
resque. These  musical  evenings  are  usu- 
ally preceded  by  a  dinner  at  the  Execu- 
tive Mansion. 

The  President  and  Mrs.  Roosevelt  are 
such  hospitable  hosts,  entertaining  friends 
informally  at  luncheon  almost  every  day, 
it  is  said,  that  they  use  the  state  dining- 
room  for  lunch  and  dinner.  This  apart- 
ment also  has  been  remodelled  by  the 
architects  who  have  so  greatly  added 
to  the  beauty  and  impressiveness  of  the 
White  House — Messrs.  McKim,  Mead  & 
White.  The  whole  effect  is  rich  yet 
sober.  The  proportions  are  excellent, 
the  dark  oak  panelled  to  the  ceiling  con- 
10 


Present  Day  Usages 

trasting  well  with  the  soft  grayish-green 
tapestry  covering  of  the  carved  chairs. 
The  heads  of  large  game  adorning  the 
walls  remind  one  of  the  huntsman's 
tastes  of  the  President.  Yet  beautiful 
as  this  room  is,  it  is  by  no  means  the 
most  palatial  apartment  of  the  kind  in 
Washington,  where  veritable  palaces  are 
now  to  be  seen,  eclipsing  the  White 
House  in  splendor  but  not  in  interest. 

The  "  President's  house "  has  been 
greatly  improved  without  as  well  as 
within,  the  stately  terraces  surmounting 
the  wings  reminding  the  spectator  of 
Versailles.  The  ample  and  beautiful 
grounds  contain  a  tennis-court  where 
the  President  can  take  the  exercise 
needed  after  the  fatigues  of  the  day. 

A  White  House  garden-party  in  the 
spring  is  a  pretty  sight.  President  and 
Mrs.  Roosevelt  take  up  a  position  on  the 
lawn  near  the  house,  and  the  guests,  after 
paying  their  respects  to  their  hosts, 
ii 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

wander  at  will  over  the  velvety  green 
turf.  The  bright  dresses  of  the  ladies, 
with  their  gay  parasols,  and  the  tents 
for  refreshments,  make  a  pretty  and 
picturesque  scene  against  the  background 
of  the  well-kept  lawns,  while  the  Marine 
Band  discourses  lively  music. 

The  egg-rolling  on  Easter-Monday  is  a 
singular  local  custom  whose  origin  seems 
to  be  unknown.  Formerly  it  took  place 
on  Capitol  Hill,  but  this  was  thought  a 
dangerous  place,  owing  to  the  steepness 
of  the  declivity.  The  children  now  troop 
to  the  White  House  grounds  in  great 
numbers,  playing  over  the  grass  and  roll- 
ing their  eggs  to  their  hearts'  content, 
while  a  glimpse  of  the  President  adds  to 
their  delight.  The  crowds  have  grown 
so  great  that  of  late  years  grown  peo- 
ple are  not  admitted  without  children. 
These  are  sometimes  borrowed  for  the 
occasion  as  on  a  circus  day  in  the  coun- 
try! This  unique  garden-party  takes 

12 


Present  Day  Usages 

place  just  when  the  grass  is  growing  up, 
hence  the  injury  to  the  lawns  is  great, 
and  the  shrubbery  also  is  damaged  by 
the  crowds  that  attend.  Egg-rolling  has 
become  a  very  expensive  amusement,  for 
which  the  United  States  government  has 
to  pay.  If  the  day  is  stormy,  an  effort  is 
made  to  keep  the  children  off  the  damp 
grass,  but  despite  the  closed  gates  the 
public  manages  to  enter. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  official  enter- 
tainments given  under  each  succeeding 
administration.  These  consist  of  three 
state  dinners  and  four  receptions  to 
special  bodies,  in  addition  to  the  general 
reception  on  New  Year's  Day.  The  dates 
of  these  are  announced  by  the  President's 
secretary  and  published  by  the  news- 
papers at  the  beginning  of  the  season. 
Those  for  1905-1906  were  as  follows: 

December  21,  Cabinet  dinner,  8  P.M. 
Monday,  January  i,  New  Year's  reception, 
ii  A.M.  to  1.30  P.M. 

13 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

Thursday,  January  4,  Diplomatic  reception, 
9  to  10.30  P.M. 

Thursday,  January  n,  Diplomatic  dinner, 
8  P.M. 

Thursday,  January  18,  Judicial  reception,  9 
to  10.30  P.M. 

Thursday,  January  25,  Supreme  Court  din- 
ner, 8  P.M. 

Thursday,  February  i,  Congressional  recep- 
tion, 9  to  10.30  P.M. 

Thursday,  February  8,  Army  and  Navy  re- 
ception, 9  to  10.30  P.M. 

Formerly  there  were  five  evening  re- 
ceptions, the  fifth  and  last  one  being  for 
the  general  public.  That  was  before  the 
crowds  attending  these  affairs  had  grown 
to  their  present  size.  On  New  Year's 
Day  the  President  still  receives  and 
shakes  hands  with  all  who  desire  to  call 
upon  him.  The  public  receptions  held 
usually  on  Saturday  afternoons  by  for- 
mer ladies  of  the  White  House,  were 
necessarily  abandoned  during  the  in- 
cumbency of  President  McKinley.  Mrs. 
McKinley  was  glad  to  see  in  a  quiet  way 
14 


Present  Day  Usages 

ladies  who  wished  to  call  upon  her,  so  far 
as  her  health  permitted.  It  is  not  likely 
that  these  public  days  ever  will  or  can 
be  restored  in  their  old  estate.  An  effort 
is  made  at  the  White  House,  however,  to 
give  all  who  desire  it  an  opportunity  of 
paying  their  respects  to  the  President 
and  Mrs.  Roosevelt.  It  is  expected  that 
every  one  will  call  at  the  Executive  Man- 
sion and  leave  cards  at  the  beginning  of 
the  season,  just  as  one  would  at  the 
house  of  any  other  lady.  One  does  not, 
of  course,  expect  to  be  admitted,  nor 
does  one  ask  to  see  Mrs.  Roosevelt. 
From  the  cards  so  left  a  list  of  callers  is 
made,  and  an  invitation  to  one  or  another 
of  the  receptions  sent  to  each  person. 
Formerly  a  single  card  was  issued  for 
the  whole  series  of  receptions,  but  so 
many  people  now  wish  to  attend  that  it 
is  found  necessary  to  divide  the  guests. 
In  order  to  obtain  admission  at  the 
White  House,  these  must  present  the 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

cards  sent  to  them,  which  are  not  trans- 
ferable. People  who  have  forgotten  their 
cards  are  sometimes  admitted  without 
them,  as  a  list  of  invited  guests  is  kept, 
to  which  appeal  can  be  made. 

"The  change  of  plan  seems  to  me  a 
very  proper  one,"  said  a  lady,  who  has 
lived  for  many  years  in  Washington,  to 
the  present  writer.  "The  old  system 
came  to  be  greatly  abused.  Some  women 
would  take  their  place  in  line  and  pass 
through  a  second  time,  saying  by  way  of 
excuse,  *  Why,  I  could  not  see  what  they 
had  on/  Members  of  Congress  would 
hand  their  invitations  to  their  acquaint- 
ances with  easy  good  nature  but  with 
little  discretion.  Hence  the  people  who 
had  a  claim  to  attend  these  receptions 
were  often  crowded  out." 

The  remodelling  of  the  White  House 

has  added  greatly  to  the  comfort  and 

convenience  of  arriving  guests  on  these 

occasions.     Instead    of    entering    in    a 

16 


Present  Day  Usages 

throng  by  the  main  portal  and  leaving 
their  wraps  in  the  lobby,  they  now  use 
the  story  on  the  garden  level,  which  is 
devoted  to  these  purposes.  The  en- 
trance at  the  extremity  of  the  new 
eastern  wing  is  so  wide  that  two  carriages 
can  discharge  their  load  at  the  same 
time,  while  the  arrangements  for  taking 
care  of  the  wraps  of  twenty- five  hun- 
dred guests  are  admirable  and  on  a  Cy- 
clopean scale.  Plenty  of  assistants  are 
in  attendance,  and  the  long  lobby  where 
cloaks,  etc.,  are  checked  is  divided  into 
separate  compartments,  so  that  one  can 
find  one's  wraps  with  comparative  ease. 
The  line  of  progress  is  up  the  stairs 
from  the  basement,  thence  across  the 
vestibule,  passing  through  the  private 
and  state  dining-rooms  and  Red  Parlor 
to  the  Blue  Room,  where  the  President 
and  his  party  receive.  The  conserva- 
tories were  removed  from  the  White 
House  by  the  recent  alterations  and  im- 
17 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

provements.  It  is  said  to  take  about 
one  hour  to  make  the  circuit  of  the 
White  House  at  one  of  these  receptions! 
The  glimpse  of  the  brilliant  party  in  the 
Blue  Room,  except  for  specially  invited 
guests,  is,  of  course,  very  brief;  but  the 
President  shakes  hands  with  every  one. 
Mrs.  Roosevelt  no  longer  shakes  hands, 
but  bows  to  all.  Mrs.  Cleveland,  young 
and  vigorous,  was  able  to  go  through 
this  time-honored  ordeal.  Mrs.  McKin- 
ley,  of  course,  could  not,  and  Mrs.  Har- 
rison was  unable  to  do  so  because  of 
a  lame  hand,  it  is  said.  The  fatigue  of 
thus  greeting  some  two  thousand  guests 
would  certainly  seem  to  be  too  severe 
for  the  average  woman,  and  we  ought 
not  to  tax  thus  the  strength  of  the  mis- 
tress of  the  White  House. 

The  wife  of  the  Vice-President  and  the 

ladies    of   the   Cabinet   stand   ready   to 

greet    the    guests,    shaking   hands    with 

some  of  their  friends.     Many  people  are 

18 


Present  Day  Usages 

so  much  absorbed  in  looking  at  the 
President  and  his  wife,  or  get  so  con- 
fused in  passing  down  the  line,  that  they 
entirely  forget  to  pay  any  attention  to 
the  other  hostesses.  One  unfortunate 
lady  from  Spanish  America  became  so 
agitated  that  she  passed  through,  snivel- 
ling audibly ! 

President  Roosevelt  has  made  a  change 
which  is  a  great  improvement  in  the  ar- 
rangements of  the  Blue  Room.  Doors 
have  been  cut  through  the  wall  that  or- 
dinarily are  covered  and  concealed  by 
the  blue  silk  panelling.  These  doors  are 
removed  for  the  great  receptions,  mak- 
ing a  direct  passage  across  the  room. 
The  Presidential  party  now  stand  near 
the  windows  in  the  Blue  Room  on  one 
side  of  this  passage,  a  silken  rope  bound- 
ing it  on  the  other.  Certain  invited 
guests  are  relegated  to  the  space  beyond 
this  barrier,  facing  the  receiving  party, 
whereas  formerly  they  were  placed  be- 
19 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

hind  the  receiving  line.  Specially  in- 
vited guests  of  the  President  and  Mrs. 
Roosevelt  take  supper  with  them  up- 
stairs in  the  corridor  at  the  end  of  the 
evening.  This  is  in  accordance  with  es- 
tablished usage  at  the  White  House. 


II 


WHITE     HOUSE     ETIQUETTE — RECEPTIONS, 
CALLS,    ETC. 

THE  wife  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States  is  the  first  lady  of  the 
land;  therefore,  all  officials  and  their 
families,  all  foreigners  of  note,  and  every 
one  in  private  life  who  wishes  to  have 
any  social  relations  with  the  White 
House,  call  first  upon  her.  She  is  the 
only  woman  in  official  life  who  is  free 
from  the  duty  of  making  or  returning 
visits.  When  Mrs.  Roosevelt  comes  to 
town  in  the  autumn  it  is  expected  that 
every  one  will  call,  not  with  the  expecta- 
tion of  being  received,  but  as  a  mark  of 
respect  to  the  wife  of  our  Chief  Magis- 

21 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

trate.  The  visitor  simply  hands  her 
visiting-card  to  the  official  at  the  door 
of  the  Executive  Mansion,  without  com- 
ment. A  married  lady  leaves  her  hus- 
band's card  also,  just  as  she  would  at  a 
private  house.  The  names  on  these  bits 
of  pasteboard  are  recorded  in  a  book  for 
convenience  of  reference. 

One  should  call  at  the  White  House 
within  a  week — some  people  say  within 
three  days — after  a  dinner  to  which  one 
has  received  an  invitation.  The  "visite 
de  digest  ion, "  the  call  after  a  dinner  or 
lunch,  should  never  be  omitted. 

While  the  public  reception  -  day  for- 
merly held  by  mistresses  of  the  White 
House  was  abandoned  nine  or  ten  years 
ago,  it  is  still  possible  to  see  Mrs.  Roose- 
velt for  those  who  have  any  especial  claim 
to  do  so.  It  was  formerly  the  custom 
for  a  stranger  visiting  Washington  to  ap- 
ply to  the  wife  of  a  Senator  from  her 
State  to  arrange  such  a  visit.  Now  that 

22 


White  House  Etiquette 

i 

Mrs.  Roosevelt  has  the  assistance  of  a 
secretary,  the  proper  method  is  to  write 
to  Miss  Hagner,  stating  that  one  desires 
to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  Mrs. 
•  Roosevelt,  and  asking  her  to  speak  to 
the  President's  wife  on  the  subject.  It 
is  well  to  write  a  week  or  at  least  several 
days  beforehand,  and  the  word  "  inter- 
vie  w"  should  not  be  used.  Of  course,  it 
is  not  possible  for  Mrs.  Roosevelt  to 
grant  all  such  requests,  her  time  be- 
ing very  much  occupied.  If  she  does, 
through  her  secretary,  designate  a  day 
and  hour  when  she  can  receive  the 
visitor,  the  latter  must  go  without  fail 
and  at  the  exact  time.  The  call  should 
not  under  ordinary  circumstances  ex- 
ceed five  or  ten  minutes  in  length. 

Gentlemen  who  wish  to  call  upon  the 
President  should  write  to  his  secretary 
(Mr.  William  Loeb)5  or  secure  the  good 
offices  of  a  member  of  Congress  from 
their  State.  The  following  are  the  offi- 
3  23 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

cial  White  House  rules  issued  by  order 
of  the  President : 

WHITE   HOUSE   RULES 

The  Cabinet  will  meet  on  Tuesdays 
and  Fridays  from  n  A.M.  until  i  P.M. 

Senators  and  Representatives  will  be 
received  from  10  A.M.  to  12  M.,  excepting 
on  Cabinet  days. 

Visitors  having  business  with  the  Presi- 
dent will  be  admitted  from  12  to  i  o'clock 
daily,  excepting  Cabinet  days,  so  far  as 
public  business  will  permit. 

The  East  Room  will  be  open  daily, 
Sundays  excepted,  for  the  inspection  of 
visitors,  between  the  hours  of  10  A.M. 
and  2  P.M. 

While  the  social  season  in  Washington 
begins  soon  after  Congress  assembles  in 
December,  the  first  formal  reception  at 
the  White  House  is  held  on  New  Year's 
Day.  This  is  indeed  the  great  event  of 
24 


White  House  Etiquette 

the  year,  when  all  the  world  can  shake 
hands  with  our  chief  ruler  in  true  demo- 
cratic style.  All  the  world,  but  not  his 
wife,  so  fashion  now  decrees.  Certain 
official  ladies  always  attend,  being  in- 
vited to  assist  in  the  reception,  and  some 
others  still  go,  but  not  so  many  as  for- 
merly, perhaps  owing  to  the  great  crowd. 
The  New  Year's  reception  is  to  the 
official  world  as  well  as  to  the  general 
public.  Hence  all  are  received  in  a  care- 
fully prearranged  order.  The  following 
was  the  programme  in  1906: 

THE  PRESIDENT'S  NEW  YEAR  RECEPTION 


JANUARY    I,    1906 


The  President  will  receive  at 

11.00  A.M. — The  Vice-President;  the  members  of 
the  Cabinet;  the  Diplomatic  Corps. 

1 1. 20  A.M. — The  Chief  Justice  and  the  Associate 
Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  United  States;  the  Judges  of 
the  Court  of  Appeals  of  the  District 
of  Columbia;  the  Judges  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  the  District  of  Co- 

25 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

lumbia;  the  Judges  of  the  United 
States  Court  of  Claims;  former 
members  of  the  Cabinet,  Ambassa- 
dors, and  Ministers  of  the  United 
States. 

11.30  A.M. — Senators,  Representatives,  and  Dele- 
gates in  Congress;  the  Commission- 
ers and  Judicial  Officers  of  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia. 

11.45  A-M* — Officers  of  the  Army;  officers  of  the 
Navy;  officers  of  the  Marine  Corps; 
Commanding  General  and  General 
Staff  of  the  militia  of  the  District 
of  Columbia. 

12.15  P.M. — The  Regents  and  Secretary  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution;  the  Civil 
Service  Commission;  the  Interstate 
Commerce  Commission;  the  Isth- 
mian Canal  Commission;  Assistant 
Secretaries  of  Departments;  the 
Solicitor  -  General;  Assistant  At- 
torneys -  General ;  Assistant  Post- 
masters -  General ;  the  Treasurer  of 
the  United  States;  the  Librarian  of 
Congress;  the  Public  Printer;  the 
Heads  of  Bureaus  in  the  several 
Departments;  the  President  of  the 
Columbia  Institution  for  the  Deaf 
and  Dumb. 

12.30  P.M. — The  Society  of  the  Cincinnati;  the 
Associated  Veterans  of  the  War  of 
1846-47;  the  Medal  of  Honor 
Legion;  the  Military  Order  of  the 

26 


White  House  Etiquette 

Loyal  Legion  of  the  United  States; 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic; 
the    Union    Veteran    Legion;    the 
Union    Veterans'    Union;    the    So- 
ciety of  the  Army  of  Santiago;  the 
Spanish  War  Veterans;  the  Army 
and  Navy  Union;  Minute  Men;  the 
members  of  the  Oldest  Inhabitants* 
Association  of  the  District  of  Co- 
lumbia ;  Sons  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution; Capitol  Police, 
i. oo  P.M. — Reception  of  citizens. 
Gentlemen  to  be  received,  whether  in  carriages 
or  on  foot,   will  enter  the   White   House  by  the 
North  Portico  and  will  leave  by  the  eastern  en- 
trance (opposite  the  Treasury). 

Carriages  will  approach  the  White  House  by 
the  northwestern  gate  and  will  leave  by  the  north- 
eastern gate  and  be  parked  in  East  Executive 
Avenue,  where  they  will  remain  until  called  to 
the  east  entrance,  from  which  all  guests  will  de- 
part. 

WILLIAM  LOEB,  JR., 
Secretary  to  the  President. 

The  Vice-President  and  his  wife,  to- 
gether with  the  official  family  of  the 
President — the  members  of  his  Cabinet 
and  their  wives — are  received  up-stairs. 
The  procession  then  descends  the  stair- 
case, four  of  the  President's  aides  pre- 
27 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

ceding  him.  Meantime  the  trumpeters 
are  stationed  in  the  hall  below.  They 
sound  four  flourishes  and  then  play  the 
national  air,  these  being  a  part  of  the 
honors  prescribed  in  the  Army  and  Navy 
regulations  for  the  reception  of  the 
President. 

It  is  usual  to  ask  a  number  of  ladies 
belonging  to  official  families  to  act  as 
hostesses  on  New  Year's  Day.  A  formal 
invitation  is  sent  asking  them  to  assist 
Mrs.  Roosevelt  in  receiving  in  the  Blue, 
Red,  and  Green  Rooms. 

The  Diplomatic  Corps  come  first  at 
this  reception,  it  being  the  part  of  polite- 
ness to  honor  the  stranger  within  our 
gates.  They  are  in  full  uniform,  and  are 
accompanied  by  the  ladies  of  their  families. 

The  Chief  Justice  and  the  Associate 
Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States  come  next  with  their 
wives  and  daughters. 

The  four  other  state  receptions  are 
28 


White  House  Etiquette 

held  in  the  evening.  Only  those  officials 
in  whose  special  honor  they  are  sup- 
posedly given  come  together  in  a  body, 
accompanied  by  the  ladies  of  their  fam- 
ilies. Formerly  the  invitations  read, 
"To  meet  the  Diplomatic  Corps, "  "The 
Judiciary/1  "The  Congress,"  and  "The 
Army,  Navy  and  Marine  Corps/'  but  Mr. 
McKinley  changed  this  and  adopted  the 
form  now  in  use,  deciding  that  it  was 
not  necessary  for  the  President  to  invite 
people  "to  meet"  any  one  in  the  White 
House  except  himself  and  his  wife. 

The  first  evening  reception  is  by  long- 
established  custom  to  the  Diplomatic 
Corps,  who  are  received  first  as  the 
guests  of  honor.  They  come  in  full  uni- 
form, with  all  their  insignia. 

The  second  is  for  the  Judiciary,  the 
Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  coming 
first,  the  Judges  of  other  courts  next. 
They  do  not  appear  in  their  robes  of 
office,  but  wear  ordinary  citizens'  dress. 
29 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

The  third  reception  is  to  the  Congress. 
The  Vice-President  being  in  the  receiv- 
ing party,  the  Speaker  of  the  House  is 
the  ranking  guest.  He  is  followed  by 
the  Senate,  after  whom  come  the  Repre- 
sentatives. 

The  fourth  reception  is  to  the  Army 
and  Navy,  who  are  the  guests  of  honor. 
The  Admiral  of  the  Navy  and  the  Chief 
of  Staff  of  the  Army  are  received  first. 
Other  officials,  whether  Americans  or 
foreigners,  are  entitled  to  no  especial 
precedence  on  these  occasions,  and  enter 
as  they  find  it  convenient.  The  Diplo- 
matic Corps  have  especial  privileges, 
however,  as  the  guests  of  the  nation,  a 
room  and  special  entrance  being  pro- 
vided for  their  use.  Except  on  New 
Year's  Day  and  at  the  first  evening  re- 
ception, when  they  are  assembled  in  the 
state  dining-room,  they  are  always  shown 
into  the  Red  Room  on  their  arrival  at 
the  White  House.  Should  an  ambassa- 
30 


White  House  Etiquette 

dor  appear  at  one  of  these  receptions  he 
would  be  placed  at  the  head  of  the  line 
to  be  received,  but  not,  of  course,  in  ad- 
vance of  the  guests  of  honor  of  the 
evening. 

Guests  are  introduced  to  the  President 
by  his  military  aide,  Colonel  Bromwell, 
who  is  also  the  Superintendent  of  Public 
Buildings  and  Grounds.  They  are  pre- 
sented to  Mrs.  Roosevelt  by  Major  Mc- 
Cawley,  of  the  Marine  Corps,  who  is  in 
charge  of  and  makes  arrangements  for 
all  functions  at  the  White  House. 

Is  it  proper  to  ask  for  an  invitation  to 
these  card  receptions?  One  could  with 
propriety  ask  for  a  friend  from  out  of 
town  who  was  visiting  Washington. 
The  stranger  should  first  leave  cards  at 
the  White  House,  and  the  application 
for  an  invitation  should  then  be  made  to 
the  President's  secretary,  who  has  charge 
of  the  state  entertainments.  The  re- 
quest would  probably  be  granted,  unless 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

the  number  of  guests  already  invited  was 
too  large  to  leave  "room  for  one  more." 
There  is  a  limit  to  the  capacity  even  of 
the  White  House.  A  resident  of  Wash- 
ington would  hardly  ask  for  such  an  in- 
vitation for  himself — under  the  present 
plan  of  selecting  the  guests  from  the  list 
of  callers  at  the  White  House,  unless 
some  special  reason  existed  for  doing  so. 
An  invitation  to  a  luncheon  or  a  din- 
ner at  the  White  House  is  considered  a 
command,  and  must  be  accepted.  Any 
previous  engagement  standing  in  the 
way  should  be  cancelled.  The  proper 
phrase  to  use  in  replying  is : 


Mr.  and  Mrs. 


have  the  honor  to  accept,  etc. 

Guests  go  very  punctually,  as  etiquette 
prescribes  that  all  shall  be  assembled  be- 
fore the  entrance  of  the  President  and 
his  wife. 

For  a  large  state  dinner  the  company 
32 


White  House  Etiquette 

gathers  at  one  end  of  the  East  Room. 
When  all  are  assembled,  the  Chief  Magis- 
trate and  Mrs.  Roosevelt  take  their 
places  at  the  other  end,  and  the  guests 
are  presented  as  they  would  be  at  a  re- 
ception, each  person  passing  on  to  make 
room  for  those  who  follow.  They  are 
received  in  the  order  to  which  their  offi- 
cial position  entitles  them. 

For  a  small  state  dinner  the  company 
assemble  in  the  Red  Room,  and  are  pre- 
sented in  the  Blue  Room.  The  lady  who 
is  to  go  in  to  dinner  with  the  President 
on  such  an  occasion  would  know  that 
this  honor  was  intended  for  her  as  the 
wife  of  the  highest  official  person  present 
as  a  guest.  She  therefore  stands  near 
the  President,  to  whom  at  the  proper 
moment  an  aide  takes  her  up,  while  the 
gentleman  who  is  to  escort  Mrs.  Roose- 
velt is  brought  to  the  latter.  Each  of 
the  other  gentlemen  of  the  party  finds 
the  lady  whom  he  is  to  take  in,  asking 
33 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

one  of  the  aides  for  an  introduction 
where  he  has  not  the  pleasure  of  know- 
ing her.  The  President  and  his  partner 
go  first,  the  man  of  next  highest  position 
conies  next  with  Mrs.  Roosevelt,  the  rest 
of  the  company  following  according  to 
rank. 

These  regulations  were  the  same  dur- 
ing President  McKinley's  administration. 

The  Secretary  of  State  is  invited  to  at- 
tend the  state  dinner  given  in  honor  of 
the  Diplomatic  Corps.  If  he  is  unable 
to  be  present,  the  Assistant  Secretary  is 
asked  to  take  his  place.  No  other  mem- 
ber of  the  Cabinet  is  invited  on  this  oc- 
casion. 

The  Attorney  -  General  is  the  only 
member  of  the  Cabinet  asked  to  the 
state  dinner  given  in  honor  of  the  Judi- 
ciary. 

As  we  have  said  in  a  previous  chapter, 
President  and  Mrs.  Roosevelt  are  ex- 
ceedingly hospitable,  and  in  addition  to 
34 


White  House  Etiquette 

the  dinners,  musicales,  and  teas  at  the 
White  House,  they  entertain  a  succession 
of  guests  at  luncheon,  often  in  an  in- 
formal and  therefore  delightful  manner. 
The  hour  is  usually  half-past  one,  and 
those  who  are  invited  come  very  punct- 
ually, and  await  the  arrival  of  their  host 
and  hostess.  The  President  is  often  a 
little  late,  owing  to  the  great  pressure  of 
business  upon  his  time.  The  entrance 
to  the  dining-room  is  without  formality, 
save  that  the  President  goes  first,  this 
being  the  duty  and  prerogative  of  our 
Chief  Magistrate  upon  all  occasions. 

When  luncheon  is  over,  the  hosts  arise 
and  take  leave  of  their  guests  in  the 
dining-room.  Owing  to  this  very  sensi- 
ble arrangement,  many  people  have  the 
pleasure  and  privilege  of  lunching  at  the 
White  House  without  trespassing  unduly 
on  the  time  of  the  President,  which  be- 
longs to  the  nation  primarily.  An  old 
rule  of  etiquette  prescribes  that  no  one 
35 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

shall  sit  down  while  the  Chief  Executive 
stands.  Some  people  suppose  this  to  be 
an  innovation  of  the  present  administra- 
tion, but  it  is  not  by  any  means.  Guests 
at  dinner  or  luncheon  are  careful,  there- 
fore, not  to  take  their  seats  until  the 
President  has  taken  his.  Custom  also 
prescribes  that  he  shall  always  be  served 
first,  whether  he  dines  at  home  or 
abroad. 

It  must  always  be  remembered  that 
these  marks  of  respect  are  shown  not  to 
the  individual,  but  to  the  high  office 
which  he  holds  as  the  head  of  a  great 
nation.  The  President  is  also  obliged  to 
abide  by  certain  restrictions  from  which 
the  ordinary  citizen  is  free.  He  cannot 
leave  the  country  unless  by  special  act 
of  Congress,  nor  can  he  accept  any  hos- 
pitalities under  a  foreign  flag.  He  is 
thus  debarred  from  attending  any  en- 
tertainment given  by  a  member  of  the 
Diplomatic  Corps.  He  can,  if  he  pleases, 
36 


White  House  Etiquette 

accept  invitations  given  by  his  fellow- 
citizens,  but  usually  a  President  dines 
only  at  the  White  House,  at  the  resi- 
dence of  a  Cabinet  officer,  or  of  an  inti- 
mate personal  friend  or  relative  while  he 
is  at  the  national  capital. 

President  and  Mrs.  Roosevelt,  while 
entertaining  liberally  during  the  week, 
reserve  Sunday  for  themselves.  Inti- 
mate friends  sometimes  drop  in,  in  a 
quiet  way,  on  Sunday  evening,  but 
others  are  excluded. 


Ill 

THE   MATTER   OF    PRECEDENCE 

IN  our  Republic  we  never  have  had 
and  probably  we  never  shall  have 
authoritative  and  inflexible  official  eti- 
quette such  as  exists  in  European  cap- 
itals. We  have  no  Court  Chamberlain 
whose  right  and  duty  it  is  to  lay  down 
exact  laws  for  our  guidance,  no  monarch 
to  issue  decrees.  As  good  democrats 
we  prefer  this  freedom  from  official  dic- 
tation, yet  it  must  be  confessed  that  it  is 
accompanied  with  certain  real  difficulties, 
especially  in  this  matter  of  precedence. 
As  all  cannot  go  first,  it  is  clear  that 
some  must  go  second  and  third.  In  the 
absence  of  definite  regulations,  discus- 
38 


The  Matter  of  Precedence 

sion  must  necessarily  arise  as  to  who 
shall  take  the  subordinate  positions. 
These  discussions  are  rendered  more  in- 
tricate by  the  peculiar  nature  of  our 
government,  which  introduces  many 
complications  into  the  question  of  pre- 
cedence. When  the  constitutional  fa- 
thers established  their  famous  system 
of  checks  and  balances,  with  its  three 
co-equal  branches  of  the  government — 
executive,  legislative  and  judicial — their 
minds  were  fixed  on  matters  vastly 
more  important  than  questions  of  eti- 
quette and  precedence.  Nevertheless, 
the  Cerberus-like  arrangement  of  three 
equal  heads  was  sure  to  produce  these 
small  difficulties  sooner  or  later.  While 
it  would  be  a  mistake  to  magnify  and  to 
dwell  too  much  upon  them,  it  would  not 
be  wise  nor  is  it  possible  to  ignore  them 
altogether.  The  mind  of  man  naturally 
inclines  to  apply  that  "Order,  which  is 
Heaven's  first  law"  to  all  its  affairs,  and 
4  39 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

social  regulations  tend  to  become  fixed, 
like  other  rules  of  human  conduct. 

Every  now  and  then  especial  interest 
is  felt  in  this  matter  of  precedence,  and 
attempts  are  made  to  regulate  it  with 
greater  exactness.  Such  interest  has 
been  shown  very  strongly  of  late.  At 
the  State  Department  in  Washington  I 
was  informed  that  in  the  course  of  the 
season  just  closed  they  had  received  ten 
times  the  usual  number  of  questions  on 
this  subject! 

The  fact  that  many  new  residents 
have  come  to  Washington  is  one  cause  of 
these  inquiries;  another  is  the  increased 
employment  of  social  secretaries.  These 
ladies  are  naturally  desirous  to  do  all 
things  pertaining  to  their  office  in  the 
best  way  possible.  Hence,  while  the 
immediate  result  may  be  to  increase  the 
agitation  of  vexed  questions,  the  final 
result  should  be  to  bring  them  nearer  to 
a  satisfactory  solution. 
40 


The  Matter  of  Precedence 

As  we  look  back  over  the  history  of 
our  country,  it  would  certainly  seem  as  if 
the  order  of  precedence  at  the  national 
capital  had  tended  to  become  more  fixed 
with  the  passage  of  time.  Yet  each  ad- 
ministration is  free  to  set  its  own  rules, 
and  occasionally,  as  in  Jefferson's  time, 
there  is  a  complete  reversal  of  custom. 
There  are  many  questions  still  left  open 
on  which  people  agree  to  disagree. 
Even  in  this  disagreement  current  usage 
prescribes  a  path  of  convenience.  It  is 
simply  to  dodge  certain  well-known  dif- 
ficulties by  not  inviting  to  the  same 
entertainment  persons  whose  claims 
to  precedence  will  conflict.  Here  again 
much  depends  upon  the  individual  guest. 
The  experienced  Washington  host  knows 

that    Justice    A ,    for    instance,    or 

Senator    B ,   attaches    especial    im- 
portance   to    these    questions    of    rank. 
Hence    he   will   be   careful   not   to    ask* 
either  of  them  to  a  dinner  where  they 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

might  feel  dissatisfied  with  the  position 
assigned  to  them.  On  the  other  hand, 
mine  host  will  not  hesitate  to  invite 

Judge    X- ,    who    cares    not   a   whit 

where  he  is  placed,  so  long  as  his  neigh- 
bors at  table  are  agreeable. 

The  men  who  are  especially  tenacious 
about  precedence  are  not  necessarily 
vain  or  conceited  or  ambitious  of  per- 
sonal distinction.  They  possess  minds 
to  which  questions  of  order  and  system 
strongly  appeal;  they  thus  feel  the  im- 
portance of  according  to  each  office  its 
due  degree  of  dignity,  no  more  and  no 
less.  Since  we  are  a  people  noted  for 
our  ingenuity,  it  may  be  guessed  that 
various  nice  theories  have  been  elab- 
orated by  different  individuals  to  cover 
disputed  questions.  Thus,  it  has  been 
pointed  out  that  the  Senate  ought  to 
rank  the  Cabinet,  on  the  ground  that  the 
members  of  the  latter  owe  their  con- 
firmation in  office  to  the  Senatorial  vote. 
42 


The  Matter  of  Precedence 

To  which  it  can  fairly  be  replied  that  the 
Cabinet  officers  may  claim  a  higher  posi- 
tion, since  by  the  bill  regulating  the 
Presidential  succession  six  of  these  gen- 
tlemen may  in  turn  be  called  upon  to  fill 
the  office  of  Chief  Executive  in  case  of 
the  President's  death  or  disability.  It 
can  also  be  said  that  the  President, 
whose  claim  to  pre-eminence  is  undis- 
puted, owes  his  position  to  the  votes  of 
the  people.  Again,  it  is  contended  by 
some  persons  that  as  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  United  States  is  one  body,  it 
should  not  be  divided  on  occasions  of 
ceremony,  but  that  all  the  Associate 
Justices  should  follow  immediately  after 
the  Chief  Justice.  While  they  do  so 
sometimes,  as  at  the  reception  on  New 
Year's  Day  and  at  that  to  the  Judiciary, 
this  view  is  not  generally  received  as  one 
to  be  universally  applied.  The  sym- 
bolism by  which  the  head  of  a  body,  as 
the  Chief  Justice  or  the  Speaker  of  the 
43 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

House,  is  held  to  represent  the  whole,  is 
a  great  convenience  and  seems  reason- 
able to  most  people. 

Since  Washington  is  the  seat  of  the 
civil  administration,  and  as  we  are  a 
peace-loving  rather  than  a  military  peo- 
ple, the  places  assigned  to  the  officers  of 
the  Army  and  Navy  are  relatively  low. 
Even  the  Admiral  of  the  Navy  must 
give  place  to  the  Senate,  although  he, 
too,  has  a  theory  of  precedence  founded 
on  the  Navy  regulations.  These  pre- 
scribe a  salute  of  seventeen  guns  for  an 
Admiral,  as  also  for  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy.  Admiral  Dewey  holds  that  he 
should  rank  with  the  last-named  officer, 
since  he  receives  the  same  salute.  At  some 
houses  he  is  given  the  pas  over  Senators. 

Another  complication  is  introduced 
into  the  question  of  precedence  by  the 
claims  of  Ambassadors  from  foreign  coun- 
tries. When  these  were  first  appointed, 
during  the  second  term  of  Mr.  Cleveland, 
44 


The  Matter  of  Precedence 

trouble  at  once  arose  as  to  their  proper 
position.  As  personal  representatives  of 
their  respective  sovereigns  they  claimed 
a  place  next  to  that  of  the  President,  not 
appreciating  the  peculiar  position  of  our 
Vice-President,  who  is  a  sort  of  heir-ap- 
parent. It  is  said  that  some  of  these 
gentlemen  sought  and  received  instruc- 
tions from  their  home  governments  with 
regard  to  calling  on  American  officials. 
Amid  so  much  that  is  uncertain,  it  may 
be  said  with  authority  that  the  Vice- 
President  ranks  foreign  Ambassadors  on 
all  state  occasions,  including  dinners  at 
the  White  House.  The  third  ranking 
member  of  the  national  government  is  the 
Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court,  the 
Speaker  of  the  House  being  the  fourth. 

1.  The  President. 

2.  The  Vice-President. 

3.  The  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

4.  The  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives. 

45 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

Foreign  Ambassadors  precede  every 
one  except  the  President  and  the  Vice- 
President.  This  point  also  has  been 
definitely  settled. 

The  Justices  are  usually  given  a  place 
above  the  Senators,  "on  account  of  their 
cloth/'  and  because  they  hold  office  for 
life.  The  Chief  Justice  and  the  Associ- 
ate Justices  are  entitled  to  rank  the 
Cabinet  upon  all  state  occasions  except 
in  the  one  respect  of  standing  in  the  line 
of  the  receiving  party  at  the  White 
House. 

We  have  seen  that  at  state  receptions 
and  dinners  at  the  White  House,  con- 
flicting claims  to  pre-eminence  are  wisely 
and  happily  met  by  making  the  different 
official  bodies  guests  of  honor  on  vari- 
ous occasions.  Hence  the  Judiciary,  the 
Congress,  the  Army  and  Navy,  the 
Diplomatic  Corps,  each  has  first  place  on 
one  evening  -at  least.  It  may  be  said 
this  judicious  method  of  giving  honor 
46 


The  Matter  of  Precedence 

now  to  one,  now  to  another,  runs  through 
the  scheme  of  official  entertainments  and 
more  or  less  of  private  ones.  Another 
helpful  factor  in  smoothing  out  the 
tangle  of  precedence  is  the  rule  of 
courtesy  which  causes  an  official  host  to 
waive  the  claims  of  his  colleagues  and 
himself  in  favor  of  the  members  of  an- 
other branch  of  the  government.  The 
President  and  Vice-President  must,  of 
course,  occupy  the  highest  room  wher- 
ever they  are.  To  do  otherwise  would 
not  be  consonant  with  the  dignity  of  our 
government.  At  a  White  House  din- 
ner, however,  the  Cabinet,  as  members 
of  the  President's  official  family,  would 
take  a  lower  place  than  the  Senate.  In 
the  same  way,  at  the  house  of  a  Sena- 
tor, a  foreign  Minister  takes  precedence 
through  courtesy. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  questions  of 
absolute  precedence  are  not  so  likely  to 
arise  in  practice  as  those  of  relative  rank. 
47 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

Even  the  latter  are  sometimes  puz- 
zling, but  the  former  are  avoided  by  the 
wise  man  whenever  it  is  possible  for  him 
to  do  so.  Of  course,  the  novice  in  en- 
tertaining does  some  rash  and  terrible 
things.  A  story  is  told  in  Washington 
of  a  Western  Congressman  who  invited 
all  the  dignitaries  of  the  capital  to  dine 
with  him  on  the  same  evening.  When 
this  ambitious  young  man — it  is  to  be 
presumed  that  he  was  young — went  to 
the  State  Department  to  ask  advice  as 
to  the  seating  of  his  guests,  he  was  told 
the  puzzle  could  not  be  solved  with- 
out giving  offence  to  some  one.  The 
only  course  left  open  to  him  was  to 
fall  ill  and  postpone  the  feast  indefi- 
nitely! 

The  following  order  of  precedence  is 
one  that  is  now  much  used  as  a  modus 
vivendi  of  seating  guests  at  a  dinner,  al- 
though it  must  not  be  supposed  that 
representatives  of  all  these  grades  would 
48 


The  Matter  of  Precedence 

be  invited  on  the  same  occasion.     For- 
bid it  Heaven! 

LIST   NO.  I 

The  Vice-President. 

Foreign  Ambassadors. 

Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

Foreign  Ministers. 

Cabinet  Officers. 

Senators. 

The  Admiral  of  the  Navy. 

The  Lieutenant-General  of  the  Army. 

Representatives . 

It  will  be  observed  that  this  list  is  not 
complete,  as  it  makes  no  mention  of  the 
Speaker  nor  of  the  Assistant  Secretaries 
in  the  various  departments.  Some  hosts 
do  not  accord  the  latter  any  especial 
rank,  but  others  do.  It  would  seem  as 
if  they  had  a  valid  claim  to  a  place  in 
the  line  of  precedence. 

The  following  list  goes  more  into  de- 
tail, and  is  probably  the  best  for  use  at 
a  private  house: 

49 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

LIST    NO.  2 

1.  The  Vice-President. 

2.  Foreign  Ambassadors. 

3.  Chief  Justice. 

4.  The  Speaker  of  the  House. 

5.  The  Secretary  of  State. 

6.  Associate  Justices. 

7.  Foreign  Ministers. 

8.  Senators  ( ?) 

9.  Cabinet  Officers  (  ?) 
10.  Representatives. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  Senate  is 
here  placed  above  the  Cabinet,  although 
with  a  note  of  interrogation.  It  is 
generally  admitted  in  Washington  that 
the  precedence  between  these  two  bodies 
is  still  an  open  question,  as  we  shall  see 
further  on. 

The  Secretary  of  State  is  regarded  as 
the  first  in  rank  among  the  members  of 
the  Cabinet.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  he  is  charged  with  the  duties  ap- 
pertaining to  correspondence  with  the 
public  Ministers  and  Consuls  of  the 
5° 


The  Matter  of  Precedence 

United  States,  and  with  the  representa- 
tives of  foreign  powers  accredited  to  this 
country.  He  is  also  the  medium  of  cor- 
respondence between  the  President  and 
the  Chief  Executives  of  the  several 
States,  and  the  great  seal  of  the  United 
States  is  in  his  custody.  The  bill  of 
Presidential  succession,  making  it  the 
duty  of  the  officers  of  the  Cabinet  to  act 
as  President,  in  case  of  the  latter 's  death 
or  disability,  names  them  in  the  follow- 
ing order,  thus  establishing  the  order  of 
precedence: 

The  Secretary  of  State. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

The  Secretary  of  War. 

The  Attorney-General. 

The  Postmaster-General. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Interior. 

The  Department  of  Agriculture  and 
that  of  Commerce  and  Labor  were  cre- 
ated after  this  bill  had  become  a  law,  and 
the  secretaries  of  these  two  departments 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

rank  in  the  order  given.  The  precedence 
of  Senators  among  themselves  is  deter- 
mined by  length  of  continuous  service. 
The  Congressional  Directory  gives  the 
rank  of  each,  the  difference  of  a  single  day 
being  sufficient  to  entitle  one  to  precede 
another.  Where,  as  in  many  cases,  a 
number  began  their  term  of  service  on  the 
same  day,  precedence  would  be  decided 
by  the  date  when  the  State  represented 
entered  the  Union,  it  is  said.  The  host 
who  is  in  doubt  about  the  proper  position 
of  his  guests  at  the  table,  often  applies  to 
a  gentleman  who  has  been  long  in  office 
in  the  State  Department,  and  who  is 
thoroughly  familiar  with  these  matters. 
As  we  have  before  intimated,  however, 
even  this  authority  will  not  undertake  to 
straighten  out  a  web  that  is  too  greatly 
tangled,  feeling  the  task  to  be  hopeless. 
The  Diplomatic  Corps  are  the  special 
wards  of  the  State  Department.  For 
information  about  seating  American  of- 
52 


The  Matter  of  Precedence 

ficials,  application  is  sometimes  made  to 
Mrs.  Roosevelt's  secretary,  Miss  Hagner. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  all  host- 
esses need  assistance  in  arranging  their 
dinners.  The  wife  of  a  Senator  who  has 
been  for  some  time  in  Washington,  soon 
learns  the  necessary  distinctions,  es- 
pecially if  she  has  lived  in  some  large 
city  and  has  had  the  habit  of  entertain- 
ing. A  lady  of  this  sort  often  prefers  to 
make  her  own  arrangements,  and  feels 
that  she  is  fully  capable  of  doing  so. 

"I  should  not  object  to  having  Secre- 
tary    (naming  the  head  of  the 

State  Department),  arrange  my  dinners, 
but  I  do  not  wish  an  assistant  secretary 
to  do  it,"  said  a  hostess  to  the  present 
writer.  Possibly  she  thought  it  did  not 
comport  with  Senatorial  dignity  to  ask 
advice  from  an  official  of  lower  rank. 
The  intricacies  of  precedence  are  cer- 
tainly puzzling  to  the  new-comer,  es- 
pecially if  she  has  lived  in  some  quiet 
S3 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

country  town  and  is  called  upon  to  enter- 
tain extensively  at  the  national  capital. 
Hence  the  evolution  of  the  social  secre- 
tary has  been  in  obedience  to  a  real  need. 
It  would  not  be  possible  in  the  limits 
of  the  present  work,  to  give  the  order  of 
precedence  for  all  official  occasions,  since 
this  would  vary  according  to  the  manner 
of  the  entertainment,  the  giver  of  it,  and 
other  circumstances  which  would  have 
to  be  taken  into  account  each  time. 
For  the  following  schedule  I  am  indebted 
to  the  kindness  of  one  who  has  had  much 
experience  in  these  matters.  It  shows 
the  relative  rank  of  official  persons  at  an 
entertainment  given  in  a  private  house 
where  there  is  no  guest  of  honor: 

LIST  NO.  3 

1.  The  Vice-President. 

2.  Foreign  Ambassadors. 

3.  The  Secretary  of  State. 

4.  Foreign  Ministers. 

5.  The  Chief  Justice. 

54 


The  Matter  of  Precedence 

6.  The  President  (pro  tern.)  of  the  Senate. 

7.  The  Speaker  of  the  House. 

8.  Cabinet  Officers,  other  than  the  Secre- 

tary of  State. 

9.  Foreign  Ministers  Resident. 

10.  Associate  Justices. 

11.  The  Admiral  of  the  Navy. 

12.  Senators. 

13.  Governors  of  States. 

14.  Representatives. 

15.  The  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Army. 

1 6.  Foreign  Charges  d' Affaires. 

The  above  arrangement  of  the  table 
is  given  for  the  purpose  of  showing  the 
differences  of  opinion  on  this  subject. 
The  placing  of  guests  according  to  list 
number  one  and  list  number  two,  is 
more  modern. 

The  question  of  precedence  between 
the  Senate  and  the  Cabinet  has  never 
been  definitely  settled,  as  we  have  seen, 
but  is  usually  compromised  in  this  way: 
The  Cabinet  ladies  call  first  upon  those 
of  the  Senate,  but  at  dinners  Cabinet 
officers  rank  Senators.  At  private  houses 
s  55 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

people  avoid  inviting  the  Secretary  of 
State  and  the  Speaker  on  the  same  occa- 
sion, since  neither  would  wish  to  be 
placed  lower  than  the  other.  Foreign 
Ambassadors  take  precedence  over  the 
Secretary  of  State,  although  he  is,  in  a 
certain  way,  their  chief.  When  he  dines 
at  a  foreign  Embassy,  the  Secretary  is 
given  rank  above  ambassadorial  guests 
through  courtesy.  He  always  has  pre- 
cedence over  foreign  Ministers  in  Ameri- 
can houses. 

The  wife  of  an  official  is  given  a  posi- 
tion in  accordance  with  his  rank.  The 
place  to  be  assigned  to  a  daughter,  or  a 
sister,  is  an  open  question.  According 
to  foreign  usage,  an  unmarried  woman 
is  not  given  a  high  position.  In  Wash- 
ington, officials  who  are  widowers  or 
bachelors  sometimes  ask  to  have  a 
daughter  or  a  sister  assigned  to  the 
place  a  wife  would  be  entitled  to  hold. 
A  young  unmarried  woman,  if  given  a 
56 


The  Matter  of  Precedence 

position  corresponding  to  that  of  her 
father,  may  outrank  married  ladies  much 
older  than  she.  This  sometimes  causes 
grave  dissatisfaction,  especially  if  the 
young  lady  is  unpopular.  The  personal 
element  of  likes  and  dislikes  comes  into 
play  in  the  matter  of  precedence,  as  in 
all  other  human  affairs. 

A  certain  rank  is  sometimes  given  by 
courtesy  to  men  who  have  held  official 
position  but  no  longer  do  so,  such  as 
ex- Ambassadors  from  the  United  States 
to  foreign  countries.  This  courtesy  rank 
is  also  accorded  to  the  widow  of  an 
official — of  a  Vice-President,  for  instance 
— by  some  hosts.  Others  do  not  recog- 
nize it. 


IV 

AMERICAN   OFFICIAL   ETIQUETTE 

HAPPY  is  the  nation  which  has  no 
ceremonial  code  to  burden  its  offi- 
cials with  wearisome  observances,  and 
its  people  with  the  expense  of  costly 
shows  and  trappings.  Order  and  dig- 
nity we  all  desire;  the  growth  of  our 
country  in  size,  prestige,  and  power  has 
necessitated  a  certain  increase  of  formal- 
ity, an  added  stateliness  on  public  occa- 
sions. Yet  when  we  contrast  the  pomp 
and  state  of  European  courts  with  the 
usages  at  our  national  capital,  we  realize 
that  our  Republic  has  preserved  in  a 
wonderful  degree  the  essential  simplicity 
so  much  desired  by  the  fathers!  Their 
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American  Official  Etiquette 

wisdom  and  forethought  are  more  and 
more  apparent  as  time  goes  on.  Had 
they  not  put  that  little  proviso  in  the 
Constitution  forbidding  the  granting  of 
any  title  of  nobility  by  the  United  States, 
there  is  no  knowing  where  the  folly  of 
some  of  our  citizens  would  have  landed 
us  by  this  time.  As  it  is,  those  possess- 
ed of  an  incurable  mania  for  aristocratic 
distinctions  are  obliged  to  seek  these  in 
foreign  countries.  By  this  admirable 
arrangement,  the  persons  whose  ambi- 
tions are  un-republican  are  fortunately 
eliminated  as  disturbing  elements  from 
our  midst,  while  they  themselves  are 
made  happy,  let  us  hope,  by  the  prefix 
of  duchess,  countess,  or  whatever  play- 
thing of  the  sort  they  especially  crave. 

As  the  British  pride  themselves  on  the 
fact  that  they  have  no  written  political 
constitution,  so  we  rejoice  in  our  free- 
dom from  a  ceremonial  code.  It  is  true 
that  a  body  of  social  customs  have 
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Social  Usages  at  Washington 

grown  up  at  Washington  whose  power 
is  as  real  as  the  British  constitution. 
Yet,  since  they  are  not  prescribed  by  law, 
they  can  be  thrown  aside  at  any  moment 
when  they  become  burdensome — an  im- 
mense advantage.  Each  administration 
is  glad  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  its 
predecessor,  so  far  as  this  can  be  con- 
veniently done.  It  is  easier  to  follow  an 
old  rule  than  to  invent  a  new  one,  espe- 
cially where  the  established  usage  favors 
simplicity.  From  time  to  time  the  old 
is  outgrown,  and  changes  are  necessary 
if  we  would  keep  up  with  the  march  of 
progress.  It  must  be  said  that  our  peo- 
ple take  a  greater  interest  than  formerly 
in  the  subject  of  good  -  manners.  As 
Professor  Shaler  points  out  in  his  ad- 
mirable little  book,  The  Citizen,  there 
was  a  tendency  in  the  early  days  of  the 
Republic  to  rebel  against  the  formal 
rules  of  courtesy  as  savoring  too  much  of 
aristocratic  distinctions.  Our  century  of 
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American  Official  Etiquette 

national  existence  has  shown  us  that 
politeness  need  not  be  servile.  We  are 
realizing  more  and  more  that  good- 
breeding  is  an  essential  part  of  true  civ- 
ilization in  a  republic  as  well  as  in  a 
monarchy;  hence,  there  is  a  growing  in- 
terest on  the  part  of  our  people  in  the 
niceties  of  conduct. 

While,  as  has  been  said,  no  authorita- 
tive code  exists  at  Washington,  previous 
usage  furnishes  a  valuable  guide.  A 
careful  record  is  kept  of  all  state  dinners, 
luncheons,  receptions,  and  other  social 
functions,  with  forms  of  invitation  and 
kindred  matters.  The  observances  of 
official  etiquette  are  preserved  and  hand- 
ed on,  like  other  traditions.  They  are 
wonderfully  few  and  simple,  in  this 
fortunate  country,  outside  of  the  dif- 
ficult question  of  precedence,  yet  just 
because  they  are  so  simple,  there  is  little 
excuse  for  not  following  them. 

The  question  of  precedence  regulates 
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Social  Usages  at  Washington 

that  of  calling,  which  would  seem  to  be 
the  most  important  social  duty  of  the 
official  world.  This  will  be  dealt  with  at 
greater  length  in  the  chapter  devoted  to 
the  subject.  It  should  be  said  here, 
however,  that  in  the  official  world,  the 
lower  in  rank  calls  first  upon  the  higher  : 
hence,  the  new-comer  pays  the  first  visit, 
since  he  is  outclassed  by  others  of  the 
same  grade  as  his  own.  In  a  word, 
length  of  service  increases  a  man's  rank. 
A  Senator  who  has  served  two  terms  is 
very  properly  rated  above  him  who  has 
served  but  one.  Yet  this  length  of 
service,  it  must  be  remembered,  only 
affects  his  relations  to  officials  of  his  own 
class.  Thus  a  Representative  who  has 
served  many  terms  would  be  outranked 
by  a  newly  elected  Senator.  While  this 
system  may  involve  some  incongruities, 
it  saves  endless  complications.  The 
easiest  and  simplest  way  to  class  people 
is  by  a  single  standard — as  rank,  length 
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American  Official  Etiquette 

of  service,  or  age.  In  an  official  society, 
the  grading  by  rank  seems  eminently 
proper.  Following  the  example  of  the 
European  world,  it  is  accepted  at  our 
National  Capital  as  the  proper  basis,  and 
works  very  well,  save  in  the  few  in- 
stances where  the  relative  rank  of  dif- 
ferent classes  has  not  been  determined. 

The  President-elect,  in  accordance  with 
this  rule,  calls  first  on  the  President 
de  facto,  the  latter  returning  his  visit. 
Custom  now  demands  that  the  outward 
forms  of  courtesy  be  maintained  between 
these  two  gentlemen,  whatever  the  dif- 
ference in  their  political  views.  Hence, 
the  occupant  of  the  White  House  usually 
invites  the  man  who  will  so  soon  succeed 
him  and  the  family  of  the  latter  to  dine 
at  the  Executive  Mansion  a  day  or  two 
before  the  4th  of  March.  This  dinner 
affords  a  convenient  opportunity  for  talk- 
ing over  the  programme  of  Inaugura- 
tion Day  and  especially  the  luncheon 
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Social  Usages  at  Washington 

which  follows  the  ceremony  at  the 
Capitol.  According  to  recent  usage,  the 
President-elect  invites  the  retiring  Chief 
Magistrate  to  be  his  guest  on  this  oc- 
casion. The  latter  takes  his  share  in  the 
pomp  of  the  great  day.  He  goes  to  the 
Capitol  under  the  escort  of  members  of 
the  committee  of  arrangements,  other 
members  accompanying  the  future  Presi- 
dent. A  carefully  arranged  programme 
prescribes  all  the  details  of  the  grand 
military  and  civic  parade,  the  proceed- 
ings in  the  Senate  Chamber,  where  the 
Vice-President  and  the  new  Senators  are 
sworn  in,  the  procession  to  the  Inaugural 
platform,  the  places  to  be  occupied  by 
American  and  foreign  officials  of  various 
grades  and  the  Inauguration  itself  at  the 
East  Front  of  the  Capitol.  We  like  to 
consider  ourselves  a  civilized  people,  yet 
our  traditions  compel  the  nation's  new 
chief  to  face  the  wintry  winds  of  March 
and  to  deliver  his  address  in  a  blizzard, 
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if  one  happens  to  be  raging,  with  or 
without  an  umbrella  as  his  taste  directs! 

At  the  close  of  the  ceremonies  the  out- 
going and  the  incoming  President  drive 
together  to  the  Executive  Mansion.  The 
former  does  not  enter  but  bids  his  suc- 
cessor adieu  and  at  once  drives  away  in 
his  own  carriage,  unless  he  has  been  in- 
vited to  remain  to  the  luncheon  which 
according  to  etiquette  he  has  had  pre- 
pared for  the  latter.  If  this  invitation 
has  been  omitted,  his  family  must  leave 
the  White  House  before  noon  on  the 
4th  of  March.  If  it  has  been  given, 
they  remain  to  greet  the  new  President. 
As  it  never  is  omitted  in  these  days,  the 
question  is  purely  academic.  The  new 
occupants  are  careful  to  have  none  of 
their  belongings  sent  to  the  Executive 
Mansion  before  the  above-named  hour. 

The  Inaugural  Ball  is  an  impressive 
and  beautiful  affair  attended  by  an  im- 
mense concourse  of  people.  The  Presi- 
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Social  Usages  at  Washington 

dent  and  his  wife  lead  in  the  grand 
march,  which  is  a  notable  feature  of  the 
evening,  and  afterwards  hold  an  informal 
reception. 

It  is  often  said  that  the  office  of  Vice- 
President  is  not  of  great  importance  from 
a  political  point  of  view.  His  com- 
parative immunity  from  the  pressure  of 
great  cares  and  responsibilities  leaves  him 
more  leisure  for  social  duties.  Hence  it 
is  expected  that  he  and  his  wife  will 
assist  his  chief  in  performing  these,  and 
will  make  their  house  something  of  a 
centre  of  hospitality.  They  are  not,  of 
course,  obliged  to  entertain  unless  they 
choose,  as  Congress  makes  no  appropria- 
tion for  this  purpose,  but  it  is  usual  for 
them  to  do  so.  Their  reception-day  is 
Wednesday,  when  the  Cabinet  also  re- 
ceive. Mrs.  Fairbanks  makes  it  a  point 
to  welcome  at  her  house,  on  these  oc- 
casions, citizens  from  all  parts  of  the 
United  States.  During  the  season  she 
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American  Official  Etiquette 

receives  from  two  to  six  hundred  calls 
in  a  single  afternoon.  These  are  large 
figures  for  the  present  time,  the  visiting 
fever  having  reached  its  climax  some 
years  ago  and  having  now  sensibly  de- 
clined. Thus,  while  the  wife  of  Vice- 
President  Morton  received  one  thousand 
and  even  eleven  hundred  calls  on  one 
day,  Mrs.  Hobart  had  three  or  four 
hundred  callers  during  the  same  period. 
It  will  be  remembered  that  Mrs.  Fair- 
banks and  some  of  her  predecessors  have 
held  the  office  of  President-General  of  the 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution, 
and  the  custom  of  placing  the  wife  of  the 
Vice-President  at  the  head  of  this  large 
and  prominent  patriotic  society  has  very 
obvious  advantages.  Mrs.  Fairbanks  is 
a  kind  and  gracious  hostess,  whose  pop- 
ularity is  well  deserved.  Her  visitors 
come  from  a  desire  to  see  her  personally 
as  well  as  to  have  a  glimpse  of  people 
in  high  official  position.  The  Vice-Presi- 
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Social  Usages  at  Washington 

dent  often  comes  in  towards  the  close  of 
her  receptions,  when  his  duties  at  the 
Capitol  are  over  for  the  day.  An  in- 
vitation to  dine  at  the  house  of  the  Vice- 
President  is  not  quite  a  command,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  Executive  Mansion,  but 
it  is  to  be  accepted  if  possible. 

In  addition  to  entertaining  at  their 
own  home,  it  is  customary  for  this  official 
and  his  wife  to  assist  the  President  in 
receiving  guests  at  the  public  receptions 
at  the  White  House. 

The  secretaries  of  the  various  depart- 
ments form  the  official  family  of  the 
Chief  Magistrate,  as  we  have  seen.  In 
addition  to  their  New  Year's  receptions 
and  popular  days  at  home  they  usually 
give  what  are  termed  Cabinet  dinners. 
These  are  not  obligatory,  since  the  ex- 
penses do  not  come  out  of  the  public 
purse,  but  are  borne  by  the  individual 
hosts.  They  follow  the  first  state  din- 
ner of  the  year,  when  the  Cabinet  are  the 
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American  Official  Etiquette 

guests  of  honor  at  the  White  House.  If 
the  Vice-President  should  wish  to  enter- 
tain these  gentlemen  he  would  do  so 
after  the  President.  The  members  of 
the  Cabinet  would  then  give  their  din- 
ners in  the  order  of  their  rank  so  far  as 
possible,  the  Secretary  of  State  coming 
first. 

A  new  and  refreshing  feature  has  been 
introduced  into  these  rather  ponderous 
festivities,  under  the  present  administra- 
tion. Heretofore,  it  had  been  customary 
for  each  secretary  to  ask  all  the  others, 
with  a  few  additional  guests  if  the  size 
of  the  dining-room  permitted.  With 
the  same  list  of  persons  always  invited, 
the  Cabinet  dinners  were  so  much  alike 
you  could  hardly  tell  them  apart  save 
for  some  slight  difference  in  the  food,  a 
sweet  dish  added  here  or  a  salad  cut  off 
there.  Since  the  laws  of  precedence 
would  for  the  greater  part  oblige  the 
same  gentlemen  to  go  in  with  the  same 
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Social  Usages  at  Washington 

ladies  and  to  sit  by  these  at  the  table, 
the  monotony  could  not  be  relieved  by 
a  change  of  propinquity.  A  happy  in- 
spiration has  now  led  the  secretaries  not 
to  ask  one  another,  but  to  go  abroad  for 
their  guests,  making  these  dinners  much 
more  varied  and  agreeable.  It  is;  of 
course,  necessary  to  submit  the  list  to 
the  President  for  his  approval,  lest  some 
persona  non  grata  should  be  invited  by 
mistake.  A  rule  of  official  etiquette  in 
other  countries  as  well  as  in  our  own 
prescribes  that  the  company  shall  as- 
semble before  the  arrival  of  the  guest  of 
honor,  in  order  to  be  ready  to  greet  him 
upon  his  entrance.  Hence,  at  the  Cabi- 
net dinners  every  one  comes  at  or  a  little 
before  the  appointed  hour.  The  Presi- 
dent is  usually  a  little  late,  eight  or  ten 
minutes,  that  nobody  may  be  mortified 
by  arriving  after  him.  If  the  company 
are  seated  they  rise  when  he  appears. 
At  Washington  the  guests  often  do  not 
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sit  down  before  going  in  to  the  dining- 
room.  People  come  with  equal  prompt- 
ness when  invited  to  meet  the  Vice- 
President.  While  this  mode  of  receiving 
the  guest  of  honor  is  the  reverse  of  that 
usually  practised  in  private  life  in  our 
own  country,  it  shows  much  greater  con- 
sideration for  the  time  and  strength  of 
the  person  to  be  honored. 

At  a  Cabinet  dinner  the  President  goes 
first  with  the  hostess,  the  host  coming 
next  with  Mrs.  Roosevelt. 

THE    CONGRESS 

The  Constitution  of  the  United  States 
provides  that  Senators  and  Representa- 
tives shall  take  an  oath  or  affirmation  to 
support  the  Constitution,  but  that  "no 
religious  test  shall  ever  be  required  as  a 
qualification  to  any  office  of  public  trust 
under  the  United  States/'  It  also  pro- 
vides for  proper  behavior. 

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Social  Usages  at  Washington 

"  Each  house  may  determine  the  rules 
of  its  proceedings,  punish  its  members 
for  disorderly  behavior,  and,  with  the 
concurrence  of  two- thirds,  expel  a  mem- 
ber/' Absent  members  may  also  be 
compelled  to  attend.  The  parliamentary 
rule  which  forbids  the  naming  any  mem- 
ber save  by  the  vague  general  appella- 
tion of  "the  gentleman  from  Ohio"  is 
supposed  to  exclude  personalities,  while 
it  reminds  the  individual  addressed  of 
the  behavior  expected  from  him.  "The 
gentleman  from  Ohio"  will  wish  to  jus- 
tify the  title  given  him. 

The  title  of  Speaker  is  bestowed  on 
that  officer  by  the  Constitution.  He  is 
addressed  as  "Mr.  Speaker."  While  the 
newspapers  in  past  times  have  some- 
times declared  this  functionary  guilty  of 
arbitrary  and  high-handed  proceedings, 
even  calling  him  a  czar,  he  modestly  al- 
ludes to  himself  as  "the  Chair." 

The  President  of  the  Senate  is  also  so 
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American  Official  Etiquette 

named  in  the  Constitution.  In  the  earlier 
and  more  exciting  days  of  our  history, 
decorum  was  not  always  preserved  in 
the  halls  of  Congress.  In  these  piping 
times  of  peace  even  the  more  volatile 
House  is  said  to  be  deadly  dull  by  some 
of  its  members.  When  we  read  in  the 
newspapers  of  the  exciting  scenes  and 
stormy  debates  in  European  parlia- 
mentary bodies,  inkstands  flying  about 
in  Continental  legislative  chambers,  and 
even  the  staid  House  of  Commons  in- 
dulging in  a  free  fight  a  few  years  ago, 
we  conclude  that  the  two  Houses  of  our 
Congress  are  truly  well-behaved  bodies. 
Should  the  Representatives  become  so 
much  heated  in  debate  as  to  make  dis- 
order seem  imminent,  a  thing  which  very 
rarely  happens,  the  Speaker  would  direct 
the  sergeant-at-arms  to  march  down  the 
aisle  with  the  mace.  The  mace  is  the 
emblem  of  authority,  and  thus  dis- 
played it  quiets  excitement  and  re- 
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Social  Usages  at  Washington 

minds  the  members  of  their  duty  and 
dignity. 

There  is  a  standing  charge  against  our 
Congress  as  well  as  against  State  leg- 
islative bodies,  of  tobacco-chewing  and 
consequent  expectoration.  This  evil  has 
been  much  diminished,  if  it  has  not 
ceased  altogether  to  exist.  Members 
leave  their  hats  in  the  cloak-room,  and 
do  not  wear  them  in  the  Halls  of  Con- 
gress. In  the  British  Parliament  a  mem- 
ber keeps  his  hat  on  while  he  is  seated, 
removing  it  when  he  rises  to  speak.  It 
has  been  suggested  that  one  reason  for 
this  retention  of  the  hat  is  the  peculiar 
nature  of  the  seats.  These  are  con- 
structed with  such  true  British  solidity 
as  to  leave  no  space  underneath  for  the 
bestowal  of  books  or  head-gear. 

Our  members  of  Congress  formerly 
kept  on  their  hats.  The  Chevalier  de 
Bacourt,  the  French  Minister  at  Wash- 
ington, mentions  this  peculiarity  in  his 
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American  Official  Etiquette 

correspondence  during  the  year  1840. 
He  says  in  part:  "The  Senate  conduct 
themselves  with  great  propriety.  I  can- 
not say  as  much  for  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives. I  do  not  speak  of  the  cus- 
tom, imported  from  England,  of  keeping 
their  hats  on,  but  many  of  the  members 
sit  with  their  legs  in  the  air,  and  others, 
stretched  out,  sleep  as  if  they  were  in 
their  beds." 

OFFICIAL   TITLES   AND   ADDRESSES 

It  was  settled  in  the  early  days  of 
the  Republic,  that  our  Chief  Executive 
should  be  given  no  additional  title. 
Formal  communications  to  him  are  ad- 
dressed : 

The  President 

The  White  House 
(or  Executive  Mansion) 

Washington,  D.  C. 

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Social  Usages  at  Washington 

"I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir,  your 
most  obedient  servant, "  is  the  most 
formal  conclusion  to  such  a  letter,  for 
which  "Very  respectfully  yours "  may 
be  substituted. 

In  conversation  he  is  addressed  as 
"Mr.  President. " 

A  letter  to  the  Vice-President  need  not 
give  his  personal  name,  and  one  would 
accost  him  as  "Mr.  Vice-President/' 

In  an  invitation  one  would  request  the 
pleasure  of  the  company  of  the  Vice- 
President  and  Mrs.  Fairbanks. 

A  visiting  or  dinner  card  would  be 
inscribed  simply  "The  Vice-President/ ' 

A  communication  to  the  Chi  f  Justice 
of  the  Supreme  Court  would  be  addressed 
to  "The  Chief  Justice/'  and  one  would 
greet  him  as  "Mr.  Chief  Justice/' 

The  Associate  Justices  are  addressed 

in  writing  as  "Mr.  Justice  White/'  their 

visiting-cards  bearing  the  same  words.    In 

conversation  they  are  called  "Mr.  Justice. ' ' 

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American  Official  Etiquette 

The  Cabinet  officers,  like  the  President 
and  Vice  ~  President,  are  designated  by 
title  and  not  by  name.  Thus,  one  would 
address  a  formal  communication  to 

The  Secretary  of  State 
or  the  form 

Hon.  William  H.  Taft 
Secretary  of  War 

is  sometimes  used.     A  visiting  or  a  din- 
ner card  would  read  simply: 

The  Secretary  of  War. 

One  would  speak  to  him  or  to  one  of  his 
colleagues  as  "Mr.  Secretary. " 

Invitations  to  The  First  Assistant  Sec- 
retary of  State  may  be  directed  to 

The  Assistant  Secretary  of  State 

no  name  being  used  on  the  envelope  or 
on  his  card.     The  First  Assistant  Secre- 

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Social  Usages  at  Washington 

tary  in  the  other  departments  has  the 
same  distinction,  but  it  is  not  extended 
to  those  of  a  lower  grade. 

The  Solicitor-General,  by  special  pro- 
vision of  law,  exercises  the  duties  of  the 
Attorney-General  in  case  of  his  absence 
or  disability,  or  where  the  office  is  vacant. 
His  card  reads  simply: 

The  Solicitor-General 

and  letters  to  him  would  be  so  addressed. 
A  Senator's  card  is  like  that  of  a  private 
citizen — 

Mr.  Thomas  Snodgrass 

or 
Mr.  Snodgrass 

save  that  he  sometimes  puts  in  the  right- 
hand  corner  the  name  of  the  State  which 
he  represents.  Letters  and  invitations 
are  addressed  to  Senator  Bulkeley,  and 
the  same  title  is  given  in  conversation. 
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American  Official  Etiquette 

When  issuing  invitations,  however,  the 
proper  form  is 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bulkeley 
request   the   pleasure,  etc. 

Some  Senators  prefer  the  prefix  Hon- 
orable. 

A  letter  to  a  Representative  is  directed 

Honorable  John  Greenleaf. 

He  is  called  Congressman,  or  simply  Mr. 
Greenleaf,  and  his  card  is  like  that  of  any 
other  gentleman. 

The  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives is  addressed:  as  Mr.  Speaker, 
his  card  is  inscribed  "The  Speaker," 
and  he  is  so  named  in  invitations. 

In  writing  to  the  wife  of  the  President, 
the  Vice-President,  or  a  Cabinet  officer, 
one  addresses  her  simply  as  Mrs.  Roose- 
velt, or  Mrs.  Fairbanks.  Christian  names 
or  initials  are  superfluous,  when  writing 
79 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

to  people  occupying  a  high  position.  It 
is  therefore  better  form,  as  well  as  more 
complimentary,  to  omit  them.  The  wife 
of  a  Senator  or  a  Representative  is  ad- 
dressed in  writing  as  Mrs.  Wetmore  or 
Mrs.  George  P.  Wetmore.  Present  fash- 
ion is  in  favor  of  omitting  the  Christian 
name,  where  a  lady  has  a  good  claim  to 
be  THE  Mrs.  Wetmore  of  the  city  where 
she  lives.  It  is  not  correct  to  include 
her  husband's  title  in  a  lady's  address. 
Thus,  we  should  not  write  "Mrs.  Senator 
Clarke, "  "Mrs.  Doctor  Jones/7  etc.  One 
addresses  an  invitation  to  "The  Vice- 
President  and  Mrs.  Fairbanks/'  "The 
Secretary  of  State  and  Mrs.  Root," 
"Senator  and  Mrs.  Wetmore/'  "The 

Chief  Justice  and  Mrs.   ,"   "Mr. 

Justice  and  Mrs.  Holmes." 

THE    ARMY   AND   NAVY 

A  considerable  number  of  officers  of 
the  Army  and  Navy  are  stationed  at 
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American  Official  Etiquette 

Washington,  serving  in  the  various  bu- 
reaus and  divisions  of  the  Departments 
of  War  and  of  the  Navy.  Among  these 
are  comprised  the  highest  officers  in  the 
two  branches  of  the  Service.  Certain  indi- 
viduals belonging  to  the  Army  and  Navy 
take  a  great  part  in  official  and  ceremo- 
nial observances  at  Washington.  These 
are  the  Chief  of  Staff,  the  Admiral, 
and  other  ranking  officers  of  both 
branches  of  the  Service,  such  as  the 
Commandant  of  the  Marine  Corps  and 
the  heads  of  bureaus  in  the  War 
and  Navy  Departments.  The  rest  at- 
tend the  President's  New  Year's  recep- 
tion, and  one  of  the  evening  receptions  at 
the  White  House  is  given  in  their  honor 
every  year.  On  these,  as  on  all  social  oc- 
casions when  officers  attend  in  an  official 
capacity,  "uniform  is  worn." 

It   must   not   be    forgotten    that   in- 
dividual military  men  play  an  important 
r61e    at   state  receptions,   dinners,   and 
81 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

other  entertainments  at  the  White  House 
as  aides  to  the  President.  The  employ- 
ment of  an  army  officer  as  Master  of 
Ceremonies  was  begun  during  General 
Grant's  administration.  Before  that 
time,  introductions  had  been  made  by 
the  Marshal  of  the  District.  It  is  cus- 
tomary to  have  the  Superintendent  of 
Public  Buildings  and  Grounds  act  as  chief 
aide.  This  position  is  usually  filled  by 
an  officer  belonging  to  the  Engineer  Corps 
of  the  Regular  Army.  Since  military  men 
usually  possess  a  fine  presence  and  bear- 
ing, and  since  regulating  the  movements 
of  large  bodies  of  people  pertains  es- 
pecially to  their  profession,  it  seems 
eminently  fitting  that  they  should  be  in 
command  on  occasions  of  ceremony. 
Their  bright  uniforms  give  a  light  touch 
of  military  splendor  to  the  scene,  and 
remind  us  that  Uncle  Sam's  faithful  ser- 
vants of  the  Army  and  Navy  are  ready 
to  fulfil  their  duty  whenever  called  upon. 
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These  gentlemen  do  not  occupy  sinecure 
positions  by  any  means,  their  occasional 
service  at  the  White  House  being  in 
addition  to  their  regular  duties. 

Forming  a  class  apart  from  the  of- 
ficials of  the  civil  government,  Army 
and  Navy  officers  are  not  obliged  to  call 
upon  these  gentlemen,  except  in  the  few 
cases  where  the  latter  have  some  con- 
nection with  their  branch  of  the  Service. 
They  are  thus  saved  from  the  burden  of 
general  official  visiting  which  has  become 
such  a  heavy  one  at  the  national  capital. 

As  the  President  of  the  United  States  is 
the  Commander-in-chief  of  the  Army  and 
Navy,  all  officers  and  their  families 
should  call  upon  him  and  on  his  wife  as 
soon  as  they  arrive  in  Washington. 
Etiquette  requires  this,  but  it  is  not  al- 
ways done. 

Those  belonging  to  the  Army  call  also 
on  the  Secretary  and  the  Assistant  Sec- 
retary of  War,  while  naval  officers  pay 
83 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

their  respects  to  the  Secretary  and  As- 
sistant Secretary  of  the  Navy.  They 
also  call  on  their  superiors  in  the  special 
bureau  or  department  to  which  they  are 
attached,  if  they  choose.  The  wife  of 
an  officer  should  call  at  the  White  House 
and  on  the  wife  of  the  Secretary  of  War, 
or  of  the  Navy,  in  accordance  with  the 
branch  of  service  to  which  her  husband 
belongs.  The  ladies  of  the  Army  and 
Navy  take  part  in  the  gayety  of  New 
Year's  Day  by  throwing  open  their  houses 
to  their  friends. 

Military  etiquette  in  itself  is  very  exact, 
and  is  carefully  provided  for  in  the  Reg- 
ulations of  the  Army  and  Navy  under 
the  head  of  "Honors,  Courtesies,  and 
Ceremonies. " 

Those  of  the  Army  prescribe  that  the 
President  shall  be  received  with  standards 
and  colors  drooping,  officers  and  troops 
saluting,  bands  and  field -music  playing 
the  President's  March. 
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American  Official  Etiquette 

The  General  receives  the  same  honors, 
except  that  the  bands  play  the  General's 
March. 

To  the  Vice-President,  the  members  of 
the  Cabinet,  the  Chief  Justice,  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Senate,  the  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives,  American  or 
Foreign  Ambassadors,  and  Governors 
within  their  respective  States  and  Terri- 
tories, the  same  honors  are  paid  as  to  the 
General.  The  reception  of  the  Lieuten- 
ant-General  differs  only  in  the  character 
of  the  music.  No .  march  is  played,  but 
the  trumpets  sound  three  flourishes,  or 
the  drums  beat  three  ruffles.  The  Assist- 
ant Secretary  of  War,  American  or  For- 
eign Envoys  or  Ministers  receive  the  same 
honors  as  the  Lieutenant-General.  Of- 
ficers of  the  Navy  or  of  a  foreign  service 
are  treated  in  accordance  with  their  rank. 

The  Naval  Regulations  prescribe  that 
when  the  President  visits  a  ship  of  the 
Navy,  he  shall  be  received  with  great 
85 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

ceremony — all  the  officers  assembling  in 
special  full-dress  to  greet  him,  the  yards 
or  rail  being  manned,  drums  giving  four 
ruffles,  the  bugle  four  flourishes,  followed 
by  the  National  Air  by  the  band.  The 
President's  flag  is  displayed  at  the  main, 
and  a  full  National  salute  of  twenty-one 
guns  fired  when  he  arrives  and  when  he 
departs,  etc.,  etc. 

A  foreign  sovereign  or  the  president  of 
a  foreign  republic  is  received  in  the  same 
way,  save  that  the  national  air  of  the 
country  represented  is  played. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  and  other 
Cabinet  officers,  the  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  President  of  the  Senate, 
a  Committee  of  Congress,  the  Speaker  of 
the  House,  Ambassadors  and  other  diplo- 
matic representatives  of  the  United 
States,  Governors  of  States,  Consuls, 
etc.,  are  all  received  with  honors  care- 
fully graded  according  to  their  rank. 

On  reading  these  regulations  we  begin 
86 


American  Official  Etiquette 

to  understand  why  royal  people  like  to 
travel  incognito.  It  should  be  said  that 
only  presidents  and  royalties  receive 
two  salutes,  one  on  arrival  and  one  on 
departure.  To  be  on  board  ship  while 
the  cannon  are  being  fired  is  not  particu- 
larly pleasant,  in  the  opinion  of  the  pres- 
ent writer,  especially  if  the  reverbera- 
tion of  the  guns  breaks  the  window-glass, 
as  sometimes  happens.  One  is  glad  to 
find  that  our  Republic,  at  least,  is  grate- 
ful enough  to  an  ex-President  to  receive 
him  with  almost  the  same  honors  as  dur- 
ing his  term  of  office. 

It  has  been  said  that  officers  of  the 
Army  and  Navy  stationed  at  Washing- 
ton are  free  to  a  great  extent  from  the 
round  of  calls  expected  from  civilians. 

Careful  and  exact  provision  is  made 
by  the  Regulations  for  visits  between  the 
two  branches  of  the  service,  and  to  for- 
eign ships  in  our  own  country,  as  well 
as  to  the  "  Governors  of  United  States 

7  87 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

islands/'  and  to  the  proper  officials  of 
various  kinds  in  the  ports  of  foreign 
governments. 

"The  interchange  of  official  compli- 
ments and  visits  between  foreign  mili- 
tary and  naval  officers  and  the  authori- 
ties of  a  military  post  is  international  in 
character,  and  opens  the  way  to  official 
and  social  courtesies  among  the  officers." 
Hence  it  is  a  serious  duty,  to  be  per- 
formed with  true  military  exactness  and 
punctuality. 

The  new-comer  makes  the  first  visit 
to  the  commander  of  a  military  post,  un- 
less he  is  senior  to  the  latter.  In  this 
case  he  may  send  his  card,  and  it  be- 
comes the  duty  of  the  commander  to 
make  the  first  call.  In  the  Navy,  the 
first  visit  is  also  made  by  the  officer  in 
command  of  the  arriving  ship  to  a  foreign 
naval  vessel,  unless  he  is  of  a  higher 
grade  than  the  commanding  officer  of 
the  latter,  it  being  the  rule  here,  as  else- 
88 


American  Official  Etiquette 

where,   that  the  junior  calls  upon  the 
senior. 

A  preliminary  or  "  boarding "  visit  is 
made  to  the  foreign  ship  of  war  upon  its 
arrival  in  port.  The  senior  officer  in 
port  sends  an  officer  to  the  vessel  to  offer 
the  customary  courtesies.  An  officer  is 
sent  to  return  a  boarding  visit  at  once. 
The  general  rule  prescribes  that  official 
visits  shall  be  returned  within  twenty- 
four  hours. 


V 

DIPLOMATIC   ETIQUETTE 

THE  first  and  strongest  appeal  to 
the  imagination  of  the  sojourner  at 
Washington  is  made  by  the  city  itself. 
The  sight  of  the  National  Capital,  the 
seat  of  government  of  our  beloved  coun- 
try, brings  a  certain  thrill  to  the  heart  of 
every  American,  a  thrill  which  is  made 
deeper  and  stronger  by  the  beauty  and 
dignity  of  the  city,  with  its  wide  avenues 
and  noble  public  buildings. 

While  our  first,  strongest,  and  most 
lasting  interest  is  aroused  in  Washington 
as  the  central  flower  of  Republican  in- 
stitutions, the  home  of  Uncle  Sam,  we 
find  our  imagination  stirred  in  a  lesser 
90 


Diplomatic  Etiquette 

degree  by  the  thought  that  here  dwell 
also  the  representatives  of  all  the  king- 
doms of  the  earth — the  members  of  the 
Diplomatic  Corps.  Of  course,  we  know 
that  as  good  Democrats,  royalty  and  its 
myrmidons  should  cause  us  no  fluttering 
of  the  heart-strings.  Slowly  developing 
human  nature  must  be  forgiven  these 
gentle  throbs,  which  are  not  in  reality 
due  to  admiration  of  actual  living  mon- 
archs.  They  are  rather  a  proof  of  the 
blind  survival  in  us  of  the  king- worship 
universally  practised  by  our  ancestors 
during  many  centuries.  When  we  re- 
member that  it  is  less  than  a  hundred 
and  fifty  years  since  the  most  indepen- 
dent American  did  reverence  to  King 
George,  it  is  surprising  to  think  how 
quickly  and  how  far  we  have  outgrown 
the  habit  of  homaging  kings. 

The  Diplomatic  Corps  interest  us  not 
only  as  the  representatives  of  kings  and 
emperors,  for  many  of  the  members  come 
91 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

from  our  sister  republics.  They  fasci- 
nate us  because  of  their  connection  with 
strange,  half -known  lands  in  the  Far 
East.  As  we  walk  about  the  capital 
city,  we  feel  as  if  we  might  meet  at  any 
moment  gentlemen  from  Siam  arrayed 
in  curious  costumes,  or  a  Korean  Envoy 
wearing  his  celebrated  national  hat. 
Probably  we  do  not  meet  these  officials 
in  their  fantastic  garb,  but  we  see  every- 
where reminders  of  the  foreigners  who 
dwell  in  our  midst,  with  us,  yet  not  of 
us,  as  they  owe  allegiance  to  distant 
powers.  The  fine  buildings  of  the  em- 
bassies and  legations  scattered  through 
the  city,  the  Diplomatic  rooms  at  the 
Department  of  State  and  the  White 
House,  the  gallery  reserved  for  the  Corps 
at  the  Capitol,  do  not  allow  us  to  forget 
that  Washington  is  a  National  Capital, 
and  therefore  its  society  is  necessarily 
cosmopolitan. 

The  influence  of  the  Diplomatic  circle 
92 


Diplomatic  Etiquette 

on  our  manners  and  customs  has  been 
very  marked.  They  have  their  own  ex- 
act code  of  procedure — an  international 
code  which  has  been  gradually  evolved 
and  perfected.  It  is  easier  and  more 
convenient  to  have  the  same  social  reg- 
ulations prevail  in  the  various  European 
capitals.  Since  we  have  neither  king 
nor  court,  the  foreign  code  cannot  be 
applied  to  us  in  all  its  details.  Yet  its 
main  principles  of  order,  precedence,  and 
a  due  regard  for  official  rank,  suit  a 
republic  as  well  as  a  monarchy.  As  the 
Diplomatic  Corps  take  part  in  all  im- 
portant official  occasions  at  Washington, 
and  form  an  essential  part  of  its  society, 
'  they  have  given  us  an  object-lesson  dur- 
ing many  years  which  has  had  its  due 
effect.  Hence,  the  manners  of  the  city 
have  become  in  many  respects  like  those 
of  European  capitals.  Washington  is  a 
town  of  good  manners — at  least  there  is  a 
conscious  effort  to  make  it  so.  For  this 
93 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

happy  result,  the  presence  of  the  Diplo- 
matic Corps  is  in  part  responsible. 

If  some  of  its  members  seem  to  us  in- 
clined to  lay  too  great  stress  upon  the 
pins  and  particles  of  behavior,  to  dwell 
too  much  on  the  question  of  rank,  we 
must  remember  the  atmosphere  in  which 
they  have  been  reared,  and  the  education 
they  have  received.  If  one  is  the  am- 
bassadorial servant  of  a  king  whose  mind 
is  largely  occupied  with  the  millinery  of 
his  position,  one  must  pay  some  atten- 
tion to  frills,  in  order  truly  to  represent 
one's  august  master. 

The  Diplomatic  Corps  certainly  con- 
tribute an  element  of  splendor  to  official 
occasions  at  Washington,  and  add  to* 
their  dignity.  To  society  they  impart 
charm  and  variety,  contributing  their 
quota  to  its  brilliancy  of  appearance, 
grace,  and  polish.  The  diversity  of 
tongues,  giving  expression  as  they  must 
to  differences  of  thought,  standards,  and 
94 


Diplomatic  Etiquette 

ideas,  add  piquancy  to  social  intercourse 
and  subdue  provincialism.  The  Amer- 
ican eagle  is  too  wise  a  bird  to  flap  his 
wings  to  an  undue  extent  in  the  presence 
of  the  British  lion  and  the  Russian  bear. 
For  if  they  sat  up  and  roared  in  return, 
the  spectacle  would  be  unpleasant  and 
would  not  minister  to  our  national 
vanity! 

Our  fear  of  imitating  too  far  monarch- 
ical institutions  prevented  us  from  send- 
ing Ambassadors  to  foreign  countries, 
until  quite  recently,  it  will  be  remember- 
ed. At  European  capitals  the  power 
and  prestige  of  a  nation  are  judged  to  a 
great  extent  by  the  rank  and  style  of 
living  of  its  diplomatic  representatives. 
Hence,  American  Ministers  found  them- 
selves greatly  hampered  by  belonging  to  a 
secondary  grade.  At  Washington  it  was 
doubtless  felt  that  it  would  be  an  ad- 
vantage to  have  first-class  men  sent  to 
us — as  Ambassadors  are  accredited  only 
95 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

to  countries  that  reciprocate  in  kind. 
The  Government  of  the  United  States 
accordingly  decided  to  establish  Embas- 
sies at  certain  courts,  and  Ambassadors 
from  these  were  sent  to  the  National 
Capital,  where  before  we  had  only  Minis- 
ters at  the  head  of  legations.  The  num- 
ber of  Ambassadors  has  increased  so  that 
nine  are  now  accredited  to  our  Govern- 
ment— namely,  the  Italian,  Austro-Hun- 
garian,  French,  German,  British,  Brazil- 
ian, Russian,  Mexican,  and  Japanese.  In 
addition  to  these  there  are  twenty-eight 
legations  headed  by  Ministers  Plenipo- 
tentiary, or  in  two  or  three  instances  by 
a  Minister  Resident,  or  a  Charge  d' Affaires. 
China,  Siam,  and  Persia  send  "  Envoys  Ex- 
traordinary and  Ministers  Plenipotenti- 
ary," while  South  and  Central  America, 
and  the  other  European  countries  are 
also  represented  at  Washington. 

The  head  of  the  Diplomatic  Corps,  the 
Doyen,  or  Dean,  as  he  is  called,  is  the 
96 


Diplomatic  Etiquette 

Ambassador  who  has  served  longest  at 
Washington.  The  other  Ambassadors 
rank  also  in  accordance  with  the  length 
of  their  service.  The  wisdom  of  this 
provision  is  evident.  It  saves  all  dis- 
putes as  to  which  is  the  most  important 
and  powerful  country,  and  it  also  gives 
the  leadership  to  the  man  who  has  had 
the  longest  experience  in  the  highest  posi- 
tion. Next  in  order  of  precedence  come 
the  Ministers  Plenipotentiary,  then  the 
Ministers  Resident,  followed  by  the  Charge 
d' Affaires. 

As  an  Ambassador  Extraordinary  and 
Plenipotentiary,  or  an  Envoy  Extraordi- 
nary and  Minister  Plenipotentiary  is  a 
person  of  much  importance,  representing 
his  sovereign  or  the  head  of  his  state 
directly,  his  induction  into  office  takes 
place  with  due  ceremony.  He  is  ac- 
credited by  his  home  government  to  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  and  usu- 
ally calls  at  once  at  the  Department  of 
97 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

State  in  order  to  notify  the  Secretary  of 
his  arrival.  He  also  sends  this  official  a 
copy  of  his  credentials,  and  of  the  ad- 
dress he  intends  to  make  to  the  Presi- 
dent, upon  the  occasion  of  his  formal 
presentation.  A  day  is  arranged  for 
this,  when  the  President's  Military  Aide 
is  sent  in  one  of  the  President's  carriages 
for  the  Ambassador  or  Minister  that  is 
to  be.  Accompanied  by  the  former,  the 
foreign  official,  arrayed  in  full  Diplo- 
matic uniform,  goes  to  the  White  House, 
where  he  is  presented  to  the  Chief  Ex- 
ecutive by  the  Secretary  of  State.  He 
does  not  become  an  Ambassador  or  Min- 
ister, in  fact,  nor  does  the  Secretary  of 
State  so  name  him,  until  the  President 
has  accepted  his  credentials. 

After  such  acceptance  the  new  Am- 
bassador calls  at  once  and  in  person  upon 
the  other  Ambassadors.  He  then  sends 
an  invitation  to  the  whole  Diplomatic 
Corps  to  attend  a  reception  at  the  Em- 


Diplomatic  Etiquette 

bassy,  notifying  them  that  he  has  been 
received  by  the  President.  This  is  an 
official  occasion,  and  all  the  diplomats 
attend  it.  If  the  Ambassador  is  mar- 
ried, the  ladies  of  the  Diplomatic  circle 
go  also.  After  this  formal  reception  the 
Ambassador  sends  his  cards  to  the  Min- 
isters by  his  secretary. 

After  a  new  Minister  Plenipotentiary 
has  been  received  by  the  President  he 
calls  in  person  on  all  the  Ministers.  He 
also  sends  personal  notes  to  the  Am- 
bassadors, saying  he  has  been  accredited 
to  the  United  States,  and  asking  them 
to  appoint  a  day  when  he  may  call  upon 
them. 

A  Charge  d' Affaires  is  accredited  to 
the  Department  of  State  instead  of  to 
the  President.  He  calls  first  upon  Am- 
bassadors, Ministers,  and  upon  members 
of  his  own  grade. 

A  Secretary  or  Attache  is  not  accredit- 
ed, but  the  Ambassador  or  Minister  of 
99 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

the  embassy  or  legation  to  which  he  is 
attached  notifies  the  Secretary  of  State 
of  the  appointment.  He  calls  upon  all 
the  Ambassadors  and  Ministers  in  per- 
son, leaving  his  own  card  and  that  of  his 
chief,  on  which  is  written,  "To  present 
Mr.  So-and-So."  He  calls  also  upon  the 
other  Secretaries  and  Attaches,  leaving 
his  personal  card  only.  A  Naval  At- 
tache must,  in  addition  to  these  visits, 
call  upon  the  Admiral  of  the  Navy  and 
the  chiefs  of  Naval  Bureaus;  a  Military 
Attache  makes  equivalent  visits  to  the 
heads  of  Army  departments.  A  man 
who  is  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  accredited 
to  both  the  Army  and  Navy,  must  pay 
calls  in  both  kinds. 

Ambassadors  do  not  call  upon  Ameri- 
can officials,  with  the  exception  of  the 
President  and  the  Vice-President.  All 
others  pay  them  the  first  visit.1  A  Min- 

1  The  call  at  the  Department  of  State,  of  which 
we  have  spoken,  is  not  counted,  the  first  visit,  from 
100 


Diplomatic  Etiquette 

ister  calls  first  upon  the  Justices  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  on  the  Cabinet,  Senate, 
Speaker  of  the  House.  Secretaries  and 
Attaches  call  upon  every  one.  Fortu- 
nately they  are  usually  young  men  and 
presumably  vigorous. 

In  the  title  of  a  diplomat,  the  country 
which  he  represents  is  given  the  adjec- 
tive and  not  the  substantive  form.  The 
only  exceptions  are  where  the  former 
would  sound  awkward.  The  Minister 
from  Panama  is  so  called  because  we 
cannot  well  say  the  Panaman  Minister. 
"  His  Excellency  the  British  Ambassador 
and  Lady  Durand"  is  the  form  of  an- 
nouncement at  the  White  House.  The 
same  wording  would  be  used  for  letters.1 
The  same  form  is  used  by  Ambassadors 
in  issuing  invitations,  although  the  pres- 

a  social  point  of  view,  being  made  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  and  not  by  the  Ambassador. 

1  Some  authorities  say  that  invitations  should 
be  addressed  to  "  Their  Excellencies  the  British 
Ambassador  and  Lady  Durand.'' 
101 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

ent  representative  of  Great  Britain  em- 
ploys the  following  phraseology : 

"Sir  Mortimer  and  Lady  Durand  re- 
quest the  pleasure, "  etc. 

In  replying  to  such  an  invitation  one 
would  write,  "  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Jones 
have  the  honor  to  accept/'  usirlg  the 
same  phrase  as  in  answering  an  invita- 
tion from  the  White  House. 

When  asking  an  Ambassador  we  must 
never  use  the  words  "To  meet  Mr.  So- 
and-So."  Since  he  represents  directly 
the  person  of  his  sovereign,  it  would  not 
be  according  to  etiquette  to  do  this,  as 
we  would  thus  imply  that  the  other  was 
the  guest  of  honor,  relegating  him  to  a 
secondary  position,  which  he  could  not 
accept. 

An  Ambassador  who  has  been  invited 
to  a  dinner,  sometimes  writes  to  ask  what 
place  it  is  proposed  to  assign  him  at 
table.  This  is  done,  not  from  personal 
vanity,  but  in  order  to  insure  the  proper 

102 


Diplomatic  Etiquette 

recognition  of  his  high  office.  It  is  said 
that  this  once  happened  where  the  Vice- 
President  was  also  to  be  a  guest,  and 
that  the  Ambassador  felt  unable  to  come, 
since  the  latter  was  to  outrank  him.  As 
stated  in  the  chapter  on  precedence,  the 
question  between  the  Vice-President  and 
the  foreign  representatives  would  seem 
to  have  been  definitely  and  finally  settled 
in  favor  of  the  former.  If  an  Ambassa- 
dor were  invited  to  meet  a  guest  of  honor 
from  his  own  country,  the  former  would 
take  precedence  at  a  dinner,  unless  the 
latter  were  a  member  of  the  royal  family. 

In  conversation  one  would  address 
an  Ambassador  as  "Your  Excellency/* 
"Mr.  Ambassador/1  or  "Baron  So-and- 
So,"  in  accordance  with  the  degree  of 
one's  acquaintance  with  him.  On  a 
dinner-card  he  would  be  named  simply 
as  "the  Russian  Ambassador ." 

In  the  absence  of  the  husband,  the  title 
is  sometimes  given  by  courtesy  to  the 

8  103 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

wife,  as  "Her  Excellency  the  Russian 
Ambassadress." 

A  Minister  is  not  called  "Excellency"; 
he  and  his  wife  would  be  presented  as 
"The  Belgian  Minister  and  Baroness 
Moucheur."  One  would  address  him  in 
conversation  as  "Mr.  Minister." 

A  list  published  every  month  at  the 
Department  of  State,  and  procurable 
from  the  chief  clerk,  gives  the  names  and 
titles  of  all  the  Diplomatic  Corps,  and  of 
the  members  of  their  families  resident  in 
Washington. 

The  President  and  his  wife  usually  re- 
ceive the  Diplomatic  Corps  within  a  fort- 
night after  the  Inauguration.  This  re- 
ception is  held  at  noon  in  the  Blue  Parlor 
of  the  White  House.  The  Secretary  of 
State  is  present,  and  is  generally  accom- 
panied by  one  of  the  Assistant  Secre- 
taries of  the  State  Department.  The 
other  members  of  the  Cabinet  do  not  at- 
tend on  this  occasion.  The  President's 
104 


Diplomatic  Etiquette 

Military  Aide  makes  the  introductions  to 
the  Chief  Magistrate  and  his  wife.  For- 
merly this  duty  was  discharged  by  the 
Secretary  of  State. 

Foreigners  who  are  about  to  come  to 
America,  and  who  desire  to  be  presented 
to  the  President,  should  apply  for  letters 
of  introduction  to  their  own  country- 
men, and  not  to  the  Ambassadors  or 
Ministers  Plenipotentiary  of  the  United 
States  in  Europe  or  Asia.  The  presenta- 
tion of  such  a  person  to  the  Chief  Magis- 
trate should  be  made  by  the  diplomatic 
representative  of  his  country  accredited 
to  Washington. 

Since  foreigners  and  members  of  the 
Diplomatic  Corps  especially  are  exact 
and  punctilious  about  paying  and  re- 
turning calls,  as  well  as  about  matters  of 
etiquette  in  general,  we  should  all  be 
careful  to  observe  due  form  in  our  deal- 
ings with  them.  Otherwise,  we  are  likely 
to  give  offence  unintentionally,  or  to 
105 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

convey  the  impression  that  Americans 
are  lacking  in  politeness.  For  the  sake 
of  our  national  reputation,  as  well  as  be- 
cause it  is  a  part  of  the  law  of  nations, 
we  should  treat  with  especial  courtesy 
the  strangers  within  our  gates. 


VI 

CALLING 

visiting  customs  of  Washington 
1  differ  from  those  of  other  American 
cities,  owing  to  the  presence  of  the  official 
world,  native  and  foreign,  with  their  es- 
pecial code  of  etiquette.  Since  the  ordi- 
nary rules  and  conventions  are  followed 
outside  official  circles,  the  result  is  per- 
plexing to  the  new-comer.  A  little  pa- 
tience will  soon  enable  him  or  her  to 
master  the  principles  of  the  subject.  He 
will  then  see  that  these  are  very  simple, 
and  he  has  only  to  keep  them  in  mind  to 
make  his  path  easy — in  theory,  at  least. 
In  practice,  the  Washington  conventions 
are  difficult  to  carry  out,  because  they 
107 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

involve  so  great  an  expenditure  of  time 
and  strength.  There  is,  let  us  hope,  no 
city  of  the  same  size  in  any  part  of  the 
world  where  the  making  of  personal  calls 
is  carried  on  on  such  an  immense  scale. 
In  the  splendid  courage  and  vigor  of  our 
youth  as  a  nation  we  are  attempting  the 
impossible,  trying  to  do  what  people  in 
Europe  and  even  in  our  own  commer- 
cial metropolis,  New  York,  have  decided 
cannot  be  done.  The  American  woman 
is  making  a  heroic  effort,  here  as  else- 
where, to  do  what  is  expected  of  her. 
The  growth  of  Washington  society,  both 
permanent  and  transient,  is  so  great  that 
the  old  exacting  customs  must  ere  long 
be  modified,  one  would  think.  Accord- 
ing to  these,  cards  must  never  be  sent  by 
mail  unless  in  acknowledgment  of  an  in- 
vitation to  a  wedding  or  an  afternoon 
tea,  to  which  one  is  unable  to  go.  Some 
authorities  say  it  is  permissible  to  send 
P.  P.  C.  cards  by  post.  The  new-comer 
108 


Calling 

must  bear  in  mind  constantly  the  im- 
portance of  making  calls  in  person,  of 
asking  if  the  hostess  is  at  home,  and 
of  going,  if  possible,  on  her  reception- 
day. 

It  is  not  likely  that  any  radical  change 
will  suddenly  be  introduced,  for  this 
would  be  extremely  unpopular  with 
some  people.  There  is  also  a  wide  dif- 
ference of  opinion  as  to  the  importance 
of  paying  and  receiving  these  personal 
visits.  Ladies  who  are  young,  strong, 
social  in  their  tastes,  and  possessed  of 
leisure,  enjoy  making  the  required  calls. 
They  plan  out  their  campaign  carefully 
at  the  beginning  of  the  season,  for  visit- 
ing on  such  a  large  scale  becomes  a  busi- 
ness. When  we  remember  that  the  ap- 
portionment of  the  last  census  makes 
the  number  of  Representatives  386, 
while  the  full  number  of  Senators  is  90, 
of  the  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  9, 
of  Ambassadors,  Ministers,  and  Charges 
109 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

37,  making  a  total  of  more  than  520,  to 
say  nothing  of  lesser  officials,  we  see  that 
the  task  is  not  light. 

For  the  wives  of  members  of  the  Cab- 
inet and  other  popular  hostesses  it  is 
made  much  heavier  by  the  duty  of  re- 
turning the  visits  of  the  permanent  resi- 
dents of  Washington  and  of  persons 
spending  a  few  weeks  in  the  city.  Since 
some  Congressmen  and  diplomats  are 
single  men,  or  do  not  bring  their  families 
to  the  National  Capital,  the  number  of 
official  calls  incumbent  upon  the  ladies  is 
somewhat  lessened.  Where  the  wives  of 
several  Representatives  receive  together, 
one  can  kill  several  birds  with  a  single 
stone. 

In  order  to  make  all  these  visits,  it  is 
necessary  to  begin  early  in  the  season; 
hence,  December  is  a  busy  month  after 
Congress  assembles.  A  lady  in  official 
life  sometimes  devotes  four  afternoons 
in  the  week  to  the  business  of  paying 
no 


Calling 

calls,  making  as  many  as  thirty  or  even 
fifty  in  a  single  day.  In  order  to  enable 
her  to  do  this  there  must  be  system  on 
the  part  of  the  hostesses  also.  In  a  city 
where  visiting  plays  such  an  important 
role,  a  general  effort  is  made  by  soci- 
ety to  meet  its  requirements.  Every 
one  in  the  official  world  has  a  reception- 
day,  as  do  many  people  outside  of  it, 
ladies  in  certain  localities  having  the 
same  afternoon.  Thus,  Monday  is  the 
day  for  Capitol  Hill.  The  hostess  who 
is  accustomed  to  society  is  usually  care- 
ful to  have  everything  planned  so  as  to 
cause  the  visitor  no  unnecessary  delay. 
A  servant  opens  the  door  promptly, 
while  she  herself  is  in  readiness  to  re- 
ceive her  friends  and  acquaintances  at 
the  proper  hour.  If  she  is  "not  at 
home,"  the  butler  or  the  waitress  is  so 
informed  beforehand,  and  has  a  tray 
ready  for  the  cards.  The  custom  of 
having  a  man-servant  announce  the 
in 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

name  of  the  visitor  is  especially  con- 
venient in  Washington,  where  the  ladies 
in  official  life  receive  many  calls  from 
persons  who  are  total  strangers  to  them. 
If  one  is  not  announced,  it  is  usually  best 
to  mention  one's  name  on  greeting  a 
hostess  with  whom  one  has  only  a  slight 
acquaintance. 

The  hours  for  calling  are  from  three  un- 
til six,  or,  at  some  houses,  seven  o'clock. 
Whatever  other  calls  may  be  omitted, 
people  are  very  careful  to  pay  the  visile 
de  digestion  after  an  invitation  to  lunch- 
eon or  dinner.  This  should  be  made 
within  a  week;  if  possible,  on  the  next 
reception-day  of  the  hostess. 

The  theory  of  calls  in  the  circle  of 
those  connected  with  the  civil  govern- 
ment at  Washington  is  virtually  the 
same  as  that  prevailing  in  the  Army  and 
Navy  and  in  the  diplomatic  world.  The 
lower  in  rank  call  upon  the  higher,  the 
new-comer  making  the  first  visit,  since 

112 


Calling 

he  is  outclassed  by  those  whose  service 
is  longer. 

The  President  and  his  wife,  as  has 
been  stated  elsewhere,  are  not  expected 
to  make  visits,  while  they  are,  of  course, 
at  liberty  to  go  to  see  their  personal 
friends  if  they  choose.  The  etiquette  of 
calling  at  the  White  House  will  be  found 
in  Chapter  II.  Suffice  it  to  say  here 
that  every  one  in  official  life  is  expected 
to  call  upon  the  Chief  Executive  and  his 
wife. 

Since  the  Vice-President  is  the  second 
member  of  the  government ;  and  his  wife 
the  "  second  lady  of  the  land,"  no  first 
calls  are  incumbent  upon  them,  save  at 
the  White  House.  They  return,  how- 
ever, the  calls  of  the  representatives  of 
foreign  nations,  especially  those  of  Am- 
bassadors and  their  wives;  also  those  of 
the  Judiciary,  the  Cabinet,  and  the  Sen- 
ate. The  Senators  form  the  political 
family  of  the  Vice-President,  as  the  Cabi- 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

net  does  that  of  the  President.  Some 
people  hold  that  the  second  lady  of  the 
land  should  not  return  calls.  She  cer- 
tainly could  not  be  expected  to  go  to  see 
all  those  who  come  to  her  house,  but  it 
is  usual  for  her  to  make  the  official  visits 
above  mentioned  and  such  others  as  she 
chooses  on  personal  friends  and  in  ac- 
knowledgment of  invitations.  The  wife 
of  the  Vice-President  usually  receives  on 
Wednesday,  which  is  also  the  reception- 
day  of  the  ladies  of  the  Cabinet.  They 
receive  a  very  great  number  of  visits, 
several  hundred  on  a  single  afternoon, 
and  the  wife  of  the  Vice-President  equals 
them  in  popularity.  The  Cabinet  call 
first,  in  theory,  at  least,  on  the  Vice- 
President,  the  Justices  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  the  Speaker,  and  on  Ambassadors. 
It  is  also  customary  for  them  to  make 
the  first  visit  on  Senatorial  families.  In 
the  Cabinet  circle  a  new  Secretary  calls 
first  upon  those  who  outrank  him,  and 
114 


Calling 

receives  the  first  visit  from  the  members 
who  sit  in  a  lower  place  at  the  Cabinet 
table.  There  is  a  difference  of  opinion 
as  to  whether  it  is  obligatory  upon  these 
ladies  to  return  all  calls.  To  expect 
them  to  do  so  in  all  cases  seems  unrea- 
sonable to  the  outsider,  yet  the  wives  of 
members  of  the  Cabinet  do  accomplish 
this  feat,  although  they  cannot  always 
go  on  a  reception-day. 

Senators  are  expected  to  make  the 
first  call  on  the  Vice-President,  the  Jus- 
tices of  the  Supreme  Court,  the  Speaker, 
foreign  Ambassadors,  and  on  their  fel- 
low-members of  the  Upper  House  whose 
length  of  service  exceeds  their  own.  An 
early  visit  is  made  to  a  colleague  repre- 
senting the  same  State.  Thursday  is 
usually  the  reception -day  in  Senatorial 
families,  although  they  sometimes  sub- 
stitute for  it  the  day  adopted  by  the 
particular  locality  in  which  they  live. 
This  substitution  occurs  oftener  among 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

Representatives  than  among  Senators, 
who  adhere  more  closely  to  their  own 
regular  day.  When  a  Senator  first  comes 
to  Washington  he  sends  cards  through 
the  post-office  to  his  fellows,  or  leaves 
these  at  the  Capitol.  This  interchange 
of  civilities  does  not  take  the  place  of 
calling  at  the  private  house  of  the  Sen- 
ator, which  must  be  done  in  order  to 
command  social  intercourse. 

MEN'S  CALLS 

Men  call  in  Washington  much  more 
than  in  other  American  cities.  For 
those  in  official  life,  especially  for  diplo- 
mats, going  into  society  is  more  or  less  a 
part  of  the  game.  The  rich  men,  who 
are  coming  to  Washington  more  and 
more,  find  the  variety  of  the  social 
panorama  amusing  and  attractive,  while 
the  absence  of  the  tremendous  pressure 
and  competition  of  modern  business 
116 


Calling 

gives  to  all  more  leisure.  The  cordial 
tone  characteristic  of  a  Southern  city 
makes  it  easier  for  bashful  men  to  go 
out,  while  the  presence  of  the  mas- 
culine element  renders  the  teas  and 
receptions  more  agreeable  than  the  or- 
dinary stereotyped  occasions  of  the 
sort. 

It  must  not  be  supposed,  however,  that 
all  men  pay  calls  even  in  Washington. 
It  would  require  a  miracle,  as  we  all 
know,  to  make  a  certain  type  of  man 
undergo  what  he  considers  a  form  of 
social  torture.  There  are  those  in  offi- 
cial life  who  never  go  anywhere  if  they 
can  avoid  it.  In  Washington,  as  in  our 
other  cities,  the  principal  brunt  of  visit- 
ing falls  on  the  women,  who  in  many  in- 
stances leave  the  cards  of  their  husbands 
and  brothers.  Some  gentlemen  take  a 
leaf  from  the  Diplomatic  usage,  and  in- 
trust their  cards  to  their  secretaries,  who 
leave  these  at  the  various  houses,  avoid- 
117 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

ing  the  regular  reception-days.  This  is 
the  opposite  course  from  that  pursued  in 
the  case  of  a  special  afternoon  tea,  when 
those  who  are  unable  to  attend  send 
cards.  A  moment's  reflection  shows  the 
difference  in  the  two  cases.  Where  a 
lady  has  a  regular  day  throughout  the 
season  for  receiving  her  friends,  it  would 
be  a  slight  to  her  to  go  to  her  house 
without  asking  to  see  her  at  that  par- 
ticular time.  Where  one  has  been  in- 
vited to  attend  a  single  reception,  or  a 
series  of  three  or  four,  if  one  is  unable  to 
go,  one  sends  cards  in  acknowledgment 
of  the  invitation. 

The  theory  of  universal  calling  is  cer- 
tainly very  severe  for  the  men  who  have 
neither  wives  nor  sisters  to  perform  this 
duty  for  them.  As  men  are  influenced 
more  by  practical  considerations  and  less 
by  sentiment  than  women,  they  are  be- 
ginning, like  the  gentlemen  spoken  of 
above,  to  try  to  find  an  easier  solution  of 
118 


Calling 

» 

the    problem.     Thus    a    well-known    so- 
ciety man  writes : 

"It  is  not  yet  exactly  permitted  to 
leave  cards  without  asking  if  the  ladies 
are  at  home;  but  this  custom  will  come 
as  the  town  grows,  and  is  already  un- 
derstood by  diplomats  and  by  many 
who  go  out  a  great  deal  generally." 

Another  suggests  the  adoption  of  the 
clearing-house  system  as  they  have  it  in 
London.  According  to  this  very  simple 
and  efficacious  method  a  gentleman  goes 
to  see  his  stationer  in  the  autumn,  and 
gives  the  latter  a  list  of  the  friends  and 
acquaintances  to  whom  he  desires  to  send 
cards  announcing  his  return  to  town. 
The  stationer  arranges  the  whole  busi- 
ness, directs  the  envelopes  and  despatch- 
es the  cards,  and  nothing  more  in  the 
way  of  general  calling  is  required  of  the 
happy  man .  Doubtless  he  would  make  his 
visiles  de  digestion,  especially  after  being 
invited  to  dinner,  and  other  special  calls. 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

In  France  a  similar  custom  prevails. 
On  New  Year's  Day  people  send  cards 
by  hand  or  through  the  post  to  the  whole 
circle  of  their  acquaintance.  In  Wash- 
ington gentlemen  still  call  upon  New 
Year's  Day  on  those  who  throw  open 
their  houses,  a  smaller  number  than  for- 
merly. Every  Cabinet  officer  has  a  re- 
ception in  the  afternoon,  usually  from 
three  to  seven  o'clock.  Members  of  the 
various  departments  call  at  the  houses 
of  their  chiefs  and  elsewhere. 

Many  people  in  Washington  are  at 
home  to  visitors  on  Sunday  afternoon; 
hence  there  is  a  good  deal  of  calling  at 
that  time  in  an  informal  way. 

The  rules  for  visiting  in  the  official 
world  are  clear  and  simple,  though  cer- 
tainly exacting.  Outside  of  this  circle 
the  conventions  are  much  the  same  as 
in  other  American  cities — that  is  to  say, 
the  older  resident  calls  first  on  the  new- 
comer. Members  of  the  resident  society 

120 


Calling 

call  first  upon  such  officials  as  they  de- 
sire to  know.  A  wide  divergence  of 
opinion  and  practice  should  be  noted 
here.  The  "Cave-dwellers,"  as  the  old 
residents  are  called,  are  not  usually  in 
great  haste  to  make  the  acquaintance  of 
officials,  knowing  that  these  are  in  many 
cases  only  a  transient  element  in  the  so- 
ciety of  the  National  Capital.  Congress 
goes  on  forever,  but  its  membership,  es- 
pecially in  the  Lower  House,  changes 
constantly.  Hence,  old  Washingtonians 
of  a  conservative  type  do  not  usually 
call  on  officials,  unless  there  is  some 
special  reason  for  making  their  acquaint- 
ance. 

The  immense  concourse  to  be  met  at 
the  Cabinet  and  other  popular  houses  on 
a  reception-day  in  the  height  of  the  sea- 
son, proves  clearly  that  many  people  do 
not  agree  with  the  Cave-dwellers.  The 
old  democratic  theory  which  made  it 
right  and  customary  for  every  citizen  of 

121 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

the  Republic  to  go  to  see  the  President 
on  the  occasions  of  his  public  receptions, 
extends,  in  the  minds  of  many  persons, 
to  the  lesser  officials,  and  especially  to 
the  Vice-President  and  Secretaries  of  the 
various  departments.  Indeed,  the  pro- 
priety of  calling  on  the  Cabinet  families 
is  a  generally  received  convention,  and 
is  accepted  as  such  by  the  ladies — one  is 
tempted  to  say  by  the  victims — them- 
selves. For  beautiful  as  the  democratic 
theory  is  in  the  abstract,  or  in  a  small 
and  simple  society,  the  limitations  of 
time  and  space  make  it  inconvenient 
when  applied  to  a  large  and  growing 
capital  city.  To  be  part  of  a  football 
rush,  for  the  sake  of  asserting  one's 
democratic  privileges,  is  sacrificing  pleas- 
ure and  comfort  to  an  idea.  Sooner  or 
later  we  shall  come  to  recognize  the  fact 
that  in  a  republic  of  seventy  millions  of 
people,  social  duties  must  be  delegated 
to  Representatives,  just  as  political  du- 

122 


Calling 

ties  are.  Under  the  democratic  form  of 
government  in  ancient  Athens,  all  the 
citizens  assembled  to  transact  the  affairs 
of  the  city.  Every  one  understands 
that  this  would  be  impossible  in  our 
modern  world;  the  business  of  govern- 
ment must  be  carried  on  by  a  few  per- 
sons chosen  to  represent  the  town  or 
State,  as  the  case  may  be.  Sooner  or 
later  it  will  be  recognized  that  Washing- 
ton has  outgrown  the  conditions  which 
made  universal  visiting  possible.  For 
the  present,  many  people  hold  that  it  is 
proper  for  residents  to  call  on  the  official 
world — Vice-President,  Cabinet,  Justices 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  Senators,  and 
Representatives — on  their  public  recep- 
tifen-day. 

Whether  or  not  we  accept  this  theory, 
we  must  be  very  careful  not  to  overstep 
its  limits  by  going  at  other  than  the  ap- 
pointed time  or  by  attending  the  recep- 
tions at  Diplomatic  houses  without  a 
123 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

special  invitation.  Whatever  claim  we 
may  have  on  American  officials,  we  have 
none  upon  the  representatives  of  foreign 
governments,  and  we  should  not  intrude 
upon  them  without  a  proper  reason. 

The  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives pays  the  first  visit  to  the  Vice- 
President  and  the  Chief  Justice.  His 
duty  towards  the  foreign  Ambassadors 
is  "of  uncertain  obligation/*  When  em- 
bassies were  first  established  at  Wash- 
ington, Mr.  Thomas  Reed,  who  held  the 
office  of  Speaker  at  that  time,  did  not 
think  it  incumbent  upon  him  to  call  first 
on  the  newly  appointed  Ambassadors. 
I  do  not  know  the  views  of  the  present 
Speaker  on  this  subject,  but  he  is  thought 
to  be  tenacious  of  the  rights  of  his  posi- 
tion, and  very  properly,  since  he  is  at 
the  head  of  the  branch  of  Congress 
directly  representing  the  people. 

Members  of  the  Lower  House  call 
upon  the  Vice  -  President,  the  Cabinet, 
124 


Calling 

the  Justices,  the  Senate,  the  Speaker, 
foreign  Ambassadors  and  Ministers,  and 
upon  one  another,  especially  on  those  who 
are  leaders,  who  are  serving  on  the  same 
committee,  or  who  represent  the  same 
State.  Every  new  Congress  brings  many 
new  members,  who  stand  on  an  equality, 
since  they  are  elected  at  the  same  time. 
There  is  no  obligation  upon  one  rather 
than  upon  another  to  make  the  first  call, 
save  that  those  who  are  punctilious  in 
such  matters  are  careful  to  pay  the  visit 
in  the  course  of  the  season.  Congres- 
sional ladies  often  unite  forces,  a  number 
of  them  receiving  together.  Baskets 
bearing  the  names  of  the  various  host- 
esses are  suspended  by  ribbons  in  the 
hall,  and  a  visitor  leaves  her  cards  for 
those  for  whom  her  call  is  especially  in- 
tended. Tuesday  is  the  reception -day 
of  Representatives. 

The  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  call 
first  on  the  Vice-President  and  on  Foreign 
125 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

Ambassadors.  The  Associate  Justices 
pay  the  first  visit  to  their  chief.  Their 
reception -day  is  Monday.  The  follow- 
ing list  gives  the  reception  -  days  of  the 
week  in  their  regular  order : 

Monday,  the  Supreme  Court  and  the 
residents  of  Capitol  Hill;  Tuesday,  Rep- 
resentatives ;  Wednesday,  the  Vice-Presi- 
dent  and  the  Cabinet;  Thursday,  Sena- 
tors; Friday  and  Saturday,  residents  of 
Washington. 


VII 

GENERAL  ENTERTAINING  IN  WASHINGTON 

WE  have  seen  that  great  importance 
is  attached  in  Washington  to  the 
making  and  receiving  of  visits.  This 
does  not  arise  simply  from  a  love  of 
punctilio  or  from  the  gregarious  instinct 
of  the  human  race.  It  has  its  root  in  the 
conviction  that  society  is  the  handmaid 
of  politics,  especially  in  a  capital  city. 
A  mighty  game  is  being  played  there, 
which  reaches  out  to  all  parts  of  the  civ- 
ilized world,  to  say  nothing  of  a  thousand 
smaller  games  affecting  the  welfare  of 
millions  of  people  in  all  the  States  and 
Territories  of  the  Union.  In  addition 
to  the  American  and  foreign  officials 
127 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

whose  business  it  is  to  make  the  moves, 
there  are  always  in  Washington  many 
persons  whose  interests  or  hobbies  de- 
pend on  the  workings  of  these  mighty 
games.  I  say  hobbies  because  we  know 
that  many  people  come  to  the  National 
Capital  with  an  unselfish  object.  The 
reformer  is  as  anxious  as  the  lobbyist  to 
carry  his  point,  though  for  a  better  rea- 
son. 

All  these  men  and  women  know  per- 
sonal influence  is  a  mighty  power  to  con- 
jure with,  and  a  power  that  can  be  used 
justly  as  well  as  unjustly.  We  know 
people  better,  we  can  deal  with  them 
better,  if  we  have  come  into  social  rela- 
tionship with  them.  Hence,  entertain- 
ing is  recognized  as  one  of  the  duties  of 
men  in  official  life,  from  the  President 
downward.  Unfortunately,  the  salaries 
paid  our  men  in  public  life  are  not  large 
enough  to  enable  them  to  keep  up  with 
the  style  of  living  demanded  by  present- 
128 


General  Entertaining 

day  fashions.  Unless  one  has  a  private 
income  he  cannot  entertain  on  any  large 
scale  in  Washington.  The  millionaire 
Senator  is  the  logical  result.  Yet  people 
grumble  over  the  wealth  of  the  Senate, 
and  complain  at  any  signs  of  economy  on 
the  part  of  official  hosts.  To  be  fair  and 
just,  we  should  either  demand  less  ex- 
penditure from  our  men  in  public  life  or 
we  should  pay  them  higher  salaries. 
They  entertain  more  or  less  according  to 
their  means  and  tastes,  some  of  them 
with  much  elegance.  If  one  wishes  to 
be  invited  one  must,  of  course,  play  the 
host  in  one's  turn ;  otherwise  society  will 
let  alone  all  save  exceptionally  delight- 
ful and  charming  persons.  Some  people 
advise  the  new-comer  to  attempt  little 
in  the  way  of  entertaining  during  a  first 
season  in  Washington.  As  a  Represent- 
ative is  only  elected  for  two  years,  it 
would  seem  wiser  for  him  to  make  a 
beginning  in  the  course  of  the  winter, 
129 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

seeking  competent  advice,  avoiding  very 
high  and  ambitious  flights  and  employ- 
ing a  good  cook  or  a  first-class  caterer. 
Punch's  advice  to  the  young  wife,  "  Feed 
the  brute/'  is  not  to  be  disdained  by  the 
political  hostess. 

The  Diplomatic  Corps  have  their  for- 
mal dinners  to  one  another.  Some  Am- 
bassadors entertain  a  great  deal,  others 
not  very  much.  It  depends  upon  the 
individual  rather  than  upon  his  nation- 
ality. Thus  one  British  Ambassador 
will  play  the  host  frequently,  and  his 
successor  only  from  time  to  time.  The 
special  holidays  of  the  countries  repre- 
sented are  usually  celebrated  at  the  em- 
bassies, as  the  birthday  of  the  reigning 
monarch,  for  instance.  A  dinner  is  usu- 
ally given  to  the  Secretary  of  State. 
The  diplomats  do  not,  as  a  rule,  enter- 
tain very  much,  although  they  con- 
tribute their  fair  share  to  the  general 
sum  of  hospitality,  and  furnish  an  agree- 
130 


General  Entertaining 

able  element  of  society.  As  the  repre- 
sentatives of  European  countries  usually 
make  diplomacy  a  life  career,  they  be- 
come adepts  in  the  art  of  pleasing.  Yet 
the  importance  of  maintaining  a  strictly 
neutral  attitude  and  of  not  committing 
themselves  to  an  opinion  on  any  debated 
political  question,  or  saying  anything 
offensive  to  the  natives  of  a  foreign 
country,  makes  their  conversation  a 
little  vapid  at  times,  especially  where 
vital  themes  are  under  discussion.  Even 
gossip  is  dangerous  unless  one  is  sure  of 
the  relations  of  the  persons  criticised  to 
those  present.  Candor  compels  us  to 
add  that  gossip  forms  a  part  of  the  staple 
of  conversation  in  Washington  as  it  does 
in  other  parts  of  the  world.  The  diplo- 
mats are  much  sought  after  by  some 
hosts  and  receive  many  invitations. 
Yet  here  again  it  should  be  noted  that 
some  Americans  care  little  for  foreign- 
ers. Certain  mammas  with  marriageable 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

daughters  do  not  ask  the  members  of 
the  Corps  to  their  houses  lest  an  inter- 
national marriage  should  be  the  result. 
It  is  said  that  such  alliances  are  viewed 
with  disfavor  by  European  governments. 
A  republican  wife  is  not  always  a  helpful 
element  in  the  career  of  a  man  who  rep- 
resents a  monarchy. 

Washington  numbers  many  wealthy 
men  among  its  residents  in  addition  to 
the  millionaires  of  the  Senate.  These 
spend  their  money  in  the  lavish  way 
characteristic  of  the  newly  rich  in  our 
large  American  cities.  The  flowers  for  a 
single  dinner  may  cost  three  or  four  hun- 
dred dollars,  with  a  display  of  plate  on  a 
corresponding  scale.  If  a  hostess  with 
these  magnificent  views  sees  a  piece  of 
silver  on  some  one's  table  which  she 
fancies,  she  will  perhaps  telegraph  to 
New  York  for  a  similar  article. 

The  modern  dinner-party  which  has 
come  to  be  the  favorite  form  of  entertain- 
132 


General  Entertaining 

ment  in  our  day,  is  of  especial  significance 
at  the  capital.  It  gives  an  opportuni- 
ty for  conversation  which  the  politician 
and  his  wife  know  how  to  improve. 
Clever  women  study  up  the  subjects  in 
which  a  husband  or  a  brother  is  inter- 
ested, and  present  a  roseate  view  of  these 
to  the  legislators  sitting  beside  them. 
The  disposition  of  most  men  is  more 
benignant  after  they  have  dined  well, 
and  it  is  said  that  many  a  cause  is  won 
or  a  commission  procured  at  the  close  of 
a  charming  little  dinner.  Did  not  our 
own  Daniel  Webster  exchange  beautiful 
Vancouver's  Island  for  the  barren  coun- 
ties of  northern  Maine  as  the  result  of 
judicious  dining  and  wining  on  the  part 
of  his  hosts  in  Great  Britain?  True, 
that  was  in  London,  but  Washington 
also  understands  the  art  of  ingratiation. 
Men  who  wish  to  push  a  measure  through 
Congress,  will  sometimes  take  a  house 
here  and  entertain  royally  for  a  month 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

or  two.  The  real  business  of  the  Senate 
is  done  by  a  few  Senators  after  dinner  or 
over  a  game  of  cards,  it  is  rumored.  For 
all  these  reasons  many  entertainments  of 
this  sort  are  given,  so  many  that  desir- 
able "  dinner-men "  are  engaged  for  the 
whole  season,  and  sometimes  receive 
twenty  invitations  for  a  single  evening. 
These  are  sent  out  three,  four,  or  even 
six  weeks  in  advance,  in  order  to  secure 
the  presence  of  special  guests.  No  mat- 
ter how  much  forethought  she  exercises, 
the  Washington  hostess  is  always  liable 
to  the  loss  of  her  bright  particular  stars, 
for  should  they  happen  to  be  asked  to 
dine  at  the  White  House,  any  other  en- 
gagement for  the  same  evening  must  be 
cancelled. 

Engraved  cards  are  used  for  large  din- 
ners, spaces  being  left  for  the  name  of 
the  guest  and  the  date.  These  are  usu- 
ally sent  by  hand,  the  answer  being  re- 
turned in  the  same  way,  and,  of  course, 


General  Entertaining 

as  promptly  as  possible.  Eight  o'clock 
is  the  usual  hour. 

During  the  season  there  are  many 
large  luncheons  for  women.  On  Sunday 
these  are  replaced  by  so-called  break- 
fasts, dejeuners  b  la  fourchette,  for  men 
and  women,  one  o'clock  being  the  hour 
commonly  named  in  the  invitations. 

Washington  has  not  escaped  the  prev- 
alent card  mania,  Bridge  dinners  being 
given  during  the  season.  In  Lent  there 
are  Bridge  clubs  for  women.  Where  the 
game  is  played  for  money  the  stakes  are 
not  usually  high,  for  feminine  players  at 
least.  A  cent  or  two  and  a  half  cents  a 
point  is  the  customary  rate,  five  cents 
being  preferred  by  some  people.  There 
are  dances,  of  course,  for  the  young,  the 
Bachelors'  germans  being  a  regular  feat- 
ure of  the  season,  while  the  Benedicts, 
not  to  be  outdone,  have  begun  recently 
to  follow  suit  by  giving  balls.  Formerly 
there  was  little  music  in  Washington, 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

but  a  change  is  taking  place,  and  musical 
occasions,  both  public  and  private,  are 
increasing  in  number. 

Lent  brings  a  certain  respite  from  the 
social  whirl,  when  the  "weary  hostess  can 
close  her  house  temporarily,  if  she  pleases, 
and  fly  off  to  New  York  or  the  South  for 
rest  and  change  of  scene.  No  balls  are 
given  during  the  penitential  season,  yet 
many  other  social  functions  go  on  with 
little  interruption.  Some  ladies  con- 
tinue their  reception-days  through  Lent. 
The  length  of  the  social  season  depends 
upon  the  movements  of  Congress.  In 
the  years  when  there  is  a  long  session  the 
gayety  after  Easter  is  much  greater  than 
where  the  National  Legislature  disbands 
early. 

Washington,  with  its  encircling  ring  of 
gently  sloping  hills  and  its  wealth  of 
parks  and  greenery,  is  a  beautiful  city  in 
the  spring,  although  the  long  and  hot 
summer  so  soon  supervenes.  Certain 
136 


General  Entertaining 

old  families  who  only  entertain  occasion- 
ally, often  do  so  at  this  lovely  season. 
Luncheons  at  Chevy  Chase  and  the 
Country  Club  are  also  popular,  the  latter 
place  of  resort  being  the  smaller  and  the 
smarter  of  the  two.  The  hounds  for  the 
hunt  are  kept  at  Chevy  Chase,  so  that 
the  meets  often  take  place  there,  and 
people  return  for  afternoon  tea  when  the 
hunt  is  over. 


VIII 

DISTINCTIVE    FEATURES     OF    WASHINGTON 
SOCIETY 

WASHINGTON  society  differs  from 
that  of  any  other  city  in  the  world, 
because  our  Capital  has  certain  individual 
features  that  do  not  exist  elsewhere.  It 
resembles  London,  Paris,  and  Berlin  in 
some  ways,  but  differs  from  them,  be- 
cause it  is  a  city  created  for  the  especial 
purpose  of  housing  the  national  gov- 
ernment. The  European  capitals  have 
grown  up  gradually  and  naturally.  They 
are  not  only  the  seats  of  government,  but 
great  cities  where  commerce,  art,  and 
literature  have  long  flourished.  Our 
American  Capital,  like  our  Federal  Con- 
138 


Distinctive  Features 

stitution  was  "made  to  order. "  Fort- 
unately for  us,  the  wisdom  of  the  fathers 
was  equal  to  both  emergencies,  assisted 
as  it  was  in  the  latter  undertaking,  by 
the  genius  of  a  Frenchman  to  whom  we 
as  a  nation  owe  a  profound  debt  of 
gratitude,  Major  Pierre  Charles  L'Enfant. 
"He  executed  the  boldest  and  most  satis- 
factory city  plan  which  it  has  been  the 
privilege  of  modern  men  to  design/'  to 
quote  a  recent  writer,  while  skilful 
architects  have  contributed  to  the  beauty 
and  dignity  of  the  Capital.  Its  wide 
and  well-paved  avenues,  its  many  trees 
and  innumerable  open  spaces,  circles, 
squares,  and  triangles,  form  vistas  that 
delight  the  eye,  while  the  absence  of 
trade  leaves  the  streets  comparatively 
free  from  heavy  trucks  and  wagons. 

These  peculiar  conditions  of  the  forma- 
tion of  Washington  affect  its  society  in 
several  ways.  The  haste  and  pressure 
of  life  are  so  much  lessened  that  it  has 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

been  called  "A  city  of  authority  and 
leisure."  The  comparative  dearth  of 
art  galleries,  museums,  and  musical  op- 
portunities throw  its  inhabitants  back 
on  other  resources  for  their  amusement 
and  culture.  Politics  and  social  inter- 
course, always  important  in  a  capital, 
are  especially  so  in  Washington,  since 
there  is  less  to  distract  the  mind  than  in 
the  great  European  cities.  We  do  not 
forget  the  opportunities  afforded  by  the 
fine  Congressional  Library,  by  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  the  Corcoran  Art  Gal- 
lery, the  numerous  institutions  of  learn- 
ing, and  last,  but  not  least,  by  the  pres- 
ence of  a  great  body  of  scientific  men, 
four  thousand  it  is  said.  In  spite  of  all 
these,  the  social  game,  with  its  political 
background,  forms  the  business  of  life 
to  an  unusual  extent  in  Washington,  one 
must  think. 

The  Republican  nature  of  our  govern- 
ment  brings   our   Capital   into   contrast 
140 


Distinctive  Features 

with  London,  Berlin,  and  even  with 
Paris,  since  republicanism  is  of  such 
recent  growth  there.  The  society  of 
Washington  is  eminently  democratic. 
How  can  it  be  otherwise  in  a  country 
where  men  of  the  humblest  origin  are 
eligible  to  the  highest  office?  "In  a  re- 
public every  man  has  a  chance  to  make 
his  way  to  social  grandeur,  as  well  as  to 
political  power."  The  man  whom  all 
honor,  and  before  whom  every  one  gives 
way,  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
is  the  choice  of  the  people,  and  after  four 
or  eight  ^years  of  power,  he  steps  down 
and  out,  becoming  again  a  private  citizen. 

The  question  of  ancestry,  outside  of 
the  patriotic  societies,  is  a  secondary 
one,  yet  a  certain  respect  is  shown,  as 
it  ought  to  be,  to  the  old  families  long 
resident  here. 

Wealth  gives  its  possessors  many  ad- 
vantages in  Washington,  as  elsewhere, 
but  it  is  not  the  master-key  to  society 
141 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

that  it  seems  to  be  in  certain  localities. 
Some  of  the  most  popular  people  here 
are  not  rich.  Official  position,  com- 
bined with  personal  charm  and  good- 
breeding,  are  sufficient  passports  to  so- 
cial recognition.  "In  Washington  more 
than  anywhere  else,  you  count  for  what 
you  are''  as  has  been  well  said.  We 
must,  however,  recognize  that  the  great 
increase  of  wealth  and  luxury  have  had 
their  effect  at  the  National  Capital.  Some 
who  cannot  "  hold  the  pace/'  have 
dropped  out  of  the  race.  Among  those 
employed  in  the  departments  are  ladies 
of  culture  and  refinement,  relatives  per- 
haps of  military  or  civil  officials.  In  old 
times  they  went  into  society,  but  now 
they  seldom  do  so,  it  is  said.  Although 
Washington  differs  in  many  respects 
from  London,  Paris,  and  Berlin,  it  is  like 
them  in  the  essential  features  of  a  nation- 
al capital.  The  cosmopolitan  character 
of  its  society  gives  this  a  great  charm, 
142 


Distinctive  Features 

while  the  constant  change  in  personnel, 
due  to  our  system  of  frequent  elections, 
causes  a  variety  that  is  truly  delightful. 
Instead  of  meeting  always  the  same  peo- 
ple wearing  the  same  clothes  and  saying 
the  same  things,  one  sees  a  constantly 
changing  panorama,  full  of  vivid  interest. 
Washington  may  be  said,  indeed,  to  be 
a  city  where  extremes  meet.  The  newly 
elected  Congressman  from  a  Western  fron- 
tier town,  a  man  with  little  or  no  social 
experience,  rubs  elbows  with  the  courtly 
representative  of  some  great  European 
power. 

Amusing  stories  are  told  of  the  small 
breaches  of  etiquette  made  by  the  nov- 
ices. A  lady  who  said  to  her  hostess, 
"May  I  bid  you  good-night?"  was  sur- 
prised to  receive  the  reply: 

"You  may." 

Another  new-comer,  not  catching  the 
name  of  the  guest  who  was  presented  to 
her,  asked: 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

"What  name?" 

American  women  are  so  clever,  how- 
ever, that  they  soon  adapt  themselves 
to  their  surroundings,  especially  if  they 
desire  to  please  and  realize  the  impor- 
tance of  doing  so.  Unfortunately,  the 
pride  that  clothes  a  little  brief  authority, 
sometimes  attacks  the  official  or  his  wife, 
and  she  gives  offence  by  some  lack  of 
courtesy.  The  wife  of  a  Cabinet  officer 
asked  a  caller  whether  she  came  in  a  car- 
riage. The  latter  replied: 

"I  came  in  the  cars,"  and  never  went 
to  that  house  again. 

Some  hostesses,  it  is  said,  pay  little 
attention  to  their  visitors  on  a  reception- 
day,  remaining  seated  in  the  distance, 
gossiping  with  their  especial  friends. 
Others  are  thought  to  be  negligent  about 
offering  the  refreshments  which  have 
been  provided,  or  show  that  they  are 
bored;  one  cannot  wonder,  if  they  have 
been  spending  the  afternoon  receiving 
144 


Distinctive  Features 

people  who  are  for  the  most  part  total 
strangers  to  them!  It  is  to  be  hoped 
that  the  story  of  the  hostesses  who  did 
not  rise  to  greet  their  feminine  guests  is 
untrue.  We  trust  that  none  of  our  Amer- 
ican women  would  show  such  a  lack  of 
good-breeding.  As  for  ennui,  it  is  cer- 
tainly wiser,  if  one  plays  the  social  game 
at  all,  to  do  it  cheerfully  and  to  the  best 
of  one's  ability.  The  hostess  gives  the 
tone  to  an  entertainment.  If  her  man- 
ner shows  that  she  thinks  it  dull,  who 
will  enjoy  it? 

For  those  who  receive  throughout  the 
season,  it  is  always  permissible  to  omit 
a  day,  and  this  is  often  done  where  some 
special  reason  exists.  In  this  case,  peo- 
ple who  have  plenty  of  servants,  and 
who  are  careful  in  such  matters,  keep  a 
footman  on  the  sidewalk.  He  notifies 
the  drivers  of  carriages  as  they  come  up, 
that  the  ladies  may  not  dismount  in 
vain.  If  a  hostess  knows  by  experience 
MS 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

that  she  is  likely  to  have  many  visitors, 
she  usually  invites  friends  to  assist  her 
in  receiving.  The  women  who  are  cor- 
dial and  social  by  nature,  and  who  take 
pains  to  be  agreeable,  have  their  reward 
in  a  popularity  which  even  grave  his- 
tories deign  to  recognize.  The  admira- 
tion and  affection  inspired  by  the  young 
and  beautiful  Mrs.  Cleveland  are  not  yet 
forgotten. 

The  Diplomatic  Corps  furnish  an  aris- 
tocratic element  which  counteracts  to  a 
certain  extent,  the  democratic  tendencies 
of  Washington  society.  The  influence  of 
the  diplomats  has  been  mentioned  else- 
where. To  it,  and  to  that  of  our  own 
representatives  returned  from  abroad,  are 
due  some  European  customs.  Gentlemen 
escort  ladies  back  to  the  drawing-room 
after  a  dinner,  usually  returning  them- 
selves to  the  smoking-room,  or  to  the  din- 
ing-room, after  the  table  has  been  cleared 
away.  At  the  close  of  an  entertainment, 
146 


Distinctive  Features 

the  lady  of  the  highest  official  position 
makes  the  first  move  to  go.  The  guests 
all  remain  until  she  takes  her  leave.  An 
anecdote  is  told  of  a  British  Ambassa- 
dress who  was  having  such  a  pleasant 
time  that  she  wanted  to  remain,  yet 
knew  that  by  doing  so,  she  was  detain- 
ing every  one  else.  She  bade  her  hostess 
a  formal  adieu,  saying  to  the  rest  of  the 
company:  "Now  you  can  all  go!"  She 
then  passed  out  of  the  drawing-room  by 
one  door,  slipping  quietly  back  by  an- 
other. 

This  custom  of  leaving  to  the  ranking 
lady  the  duty  of  breaking  up  the  com- 
pany, is  observed  strictly  in  Washington 
at  formal  entertainments,  sometimes  even 
at  girl's  lunches,  the  young  women  being 
graded  according  to  the  official  position 
of  their  fathers.  Perhaps  this  rule  ac- 
counts for  the  speedy  departure  of  din- 
ner guests,  who  do  not  usually  linger  long 
after  the  conclusion  of  the  meal. 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

This  timing  of  every  one's  movements 
to  those  of  the  "ranking  lady"  is  not 
new  in  Washington.  Some  people  feel 
that  the  theory  is  pushed  to  extremes 
when  it  is  applied  to  lunches  for  young 
women.  In  countries  where  there  is  a 
titled  nobility,  precedence  can  seldom 
be  forgotten,  and  a  duchess  keeps  every 
one  waiting  at  her  own  sweet  pleasure. 
"You  must  think  of  your  proper  place 
if  you  belong  to  official  society.  If  you 
don't,  you  will  find  yourself  at  the  tail- 
end  of  the  procession,  and  obliged  to 
carry  the  baggage,"  as  a  clever  Wash- 
ingtonian  remarked.  Certain  it  is  that 
the  matter  of  precedence  is  a  thing  to 
be  seriously  considered  at  the  National 
Capital,  if  one  wishes  to  avoid  giving 
offence.  Some  persons  regard  it  as  so 
important  they  will  be  unhappy  or  out 
of  sorts  through  a  whole  evening,  if  their 
proper  place  at  table  has  not  been  as- 
signed to  them. 

148 


Distinctive  Features 

What  'with  American  officials,  the 
diplomats,  families  connected  with  the 
Army  and  Navy,  the  scientific  men,  and 
others  in  government  employ,  the  old 
residents,  and  the  new-comers,  Wash- 
ington society  has  numerous  sets  or 
circles.  To  go  into  one  or  another  of 
these,  without  being  confined  to  a  special 
clique,  is  the  pleasantest  thing  to  do, 
for  those  who  enjoy  variety. 


IX 

SOCIAL   BACKGROUNDS 

increased  interest  in  the  study 
1  of  American  history,  and  especially 
of  its  more  humane  side,  has  brought 
us  greater  knowledge  of  the  early  days 
of  our  Republic.  Many  books  have  been 
written  describing  the  manners  and  cus- 
toms of  the  fathers,  and  we  get  delight- 
ful glimpses  of  a  society  which  already 
seems  almost  archaic,  so  greatly  has  the 
mode  of  life  changed  since  the  adoption 
of  the  Constitution  in  1789. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  the  glories  of 

the  so-called  Republican  Court  fade  a 

little  under  this  closer  scrutiny.     When 

we  compare  them  with  the  magnificence 

150 


Social  Backgrounds 

of  the  modern  host  and  his  entertain- 
ments, we  wonder  how  the  Democrats 
of  that  day  could  have  thought  them  so 
dangerous  to  free  institutions.  It  was 
the  influence  of  Jacobinism  that  made 
those  opposed  to  the  Federalists  so  un- 
reasonable. When  we  read  of  their 
singing  the  "  Carmagnole  "  in  the  streets 
of  the  Capital  (Philadelphia),  and  send- 
ing around  the  table  at  a  banquet  pre- 
sided over  by  the  Governor,  the  head  of 
a  roast  pig  supposed  to  represent  the 
French  King,  amid  shrieks  of  "Tyrant," 
we  conclude  that  the  craze  of  the  French 
Revolution  had  a  tremendous  effect  on 
our  sober  citizens  for  a  little  while. 

Our  first  President  maintained  a  cer- 
tain stateliness  and  elegance  of  life,  well 
understanding  the  importance  of  sur- 
rounding his  high  office  with  dignity. 
His  first  official  home  in  New  York  was 
called  a  palace  by  the  plain  Quakers — 
the  French  Minister,  remembering  Ver- 
ii  I51 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

sailles  ancj  Fontainebleau,  described  it 
as  a  hunjble  dwelling.  It  was  a  three- 
story  brick  house;-  oite  of  the  largest  and 
finest  in  the  city.  '  His  later  residences 
contained  jnore  room,  but  none  were 
what  we  should  call  palatial.  The  fur- 
niture was  of  the  best,  Turkey  and 
Wilton  carpets,  Sevres  china,  silver  in 
abundance  for  that  day,  with  pictures 
and  ornaments.  Despite  all  these  ele- 
gances and  the  presence  of  numerous 
servants,  the  establishment  was  mounted 
on  such  a  modest  scale,  and  so  much  space 
was  occupied  by  the  offices  and  Mrs. 
Washington's  drawing-rooms  that  the 
dining-room  served  a  double  purpose. 
On  the  occasion  of  Washington's  leVfces, 
it  was  tuim.ed  into  a  reception-room  by 
carrying  out  the  chairs.  He  was  com- 
pelled toHnstitute  these  in  self-defence, 
so  many  people  crowded  to  see  him. 
They  w?re  small  affairs,  and  for  gentle- 
men only.  Guests  were  admitted  to  the 
152 


Social  Backgrounds 

improvised  audience-room  on  one  or  two 
afternoons  of  the  week  between  three 
o'clock  and  a  quarter  past.  They  were 
brought  up  to  the  President  who  re- 
ceived them  with  a  stately  bow.  He 
carried  his  cocked-hat,  and  shook  hands 
with  no  one.  At  the  end  of  the  fifteen 
minutes  the  doors  were  closed.  The 
guests  formed  in  a  circle  and  Washington 
passed  from  one  to  the  other,  talking  a 
short  time  with  each  person.  He  then 
resumed  his  position  in  front  of  the  fire- 
place, the  gentlemen  "approached  him 
in  succession,  bowed  and  retired."  All 
this  sounds  very  formal,  but  the  manners 
of  that  day  were  far  more  ceremonious 
than  our  own,  with  regard  to  "  meetings 
and  greetings." 

At  his  dinners,  which  were  also  thought 
to  savor  of  monarchical  institutions, 
Washington  himself  helped  his  guests  to 
the  good  cheer  and  pledged  their  health 
in  a  glass  of  wine,  with  due  ceremony. 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

Members  of  Congress  felt  themselves  at 
liberty  to  come  in  late,  when  the  Presi- 
dent's apology  for  sitting  down  without 
them  delights  us  with  its  patriarchal 
simplicity  and  lack  of  affectation. 

"Sir,  we  are  too  punctual  for  you.  I 
have  a  cook  who  never  asks  whether 
the  company  has  come,  but  whether  the 
hour  has  come." 

All  through  the  records  of  those  days 
we  meet  the  same  mixture  of  frankness 
and  formality,  of  homeliness  and  ele- 
gance. 

We  read  of  the  stateliness  of  Lady 
Washington's  bearing  at  her  formal 
evening  receptions  or  Drawing-Rooms. 
Yet  it  is  said  that  when  the  clock  struck 
nine,  she  would  dismiss  her  guests  in  a 
gracious  manner,  with  the  words:  "The 
General  always  retires  at  nine,  and  I 
usually  precede  him." 

Despite  the  homeliness  of  these  old- 
time  ways  and  speeches,  and  the  simple 


Social  Backgrounds 

frame- work  of  life  as  compared  with  our 
modern  pomp  and  parade,  there  was  a 
dignity  of  manner  to  which  few  people 
can  now  attain.  It  was  the  dignity 
which  comes  from  elevation  of  character 
and  nobility  of  purpose.  The  bearing  of 
Washington,  which  called  forth  so  much 
admiration,  was  the  outward  and  fitting 
expression  of  a  rarely  noble  nature.  His 
stateliness  came  not  from  pride  of  place, 
but  from  a  sincere  desire  to  bear  him- 
self in  a  way  worthy  of  his  great  office. 
"The  grand  manner "  was  his  by  right, 
and  if  he  had  it  beyond  all  other  men  of 
his  day,  his  contemporaries  also  had  a 
touch  of  it.  As  Miss  Agnes  Repplier 
pithily  expresses  it,  "  There  was  true  re- 
publican simplicity,  dignified,  reserved, 
austere  in  the  President's  mode  of  life  and 
in  his  attitude  towards  the  public."  The 
warmth  of  his  heart  was  shown  by  his 
generous  and  constant  hospitality.  It  is 
claimed  that  no  president  entertained  so 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

much  —  at  least  none  before  President 
Roosevelt. 

Many  of  the  social  customs  of  official 
life  had  their  origin  during  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  beloved  father  of  his  coun- 
try, and  before  the  capital  was  removed 
to  Washington.  The  New  Year's  re- 
ceptions date  back  to  the  first  year  of  his 
presidency,  when  the  National  Govern- 
ment had  its  seat  in  New  York.  The 
old  Dutch  custom  of  paying  calls  on 
New  Year's  Day,  thus  became  engrafted 
on  the  new  stock  of  Federal  usage,  and 
still  flourishes  vigorously  in  Washing- 
ton, though  abandoned  long  ago  in  Man- 
hattan. Even  the  hours  at  the  Presi- 
dent's house  remain  practically  the  same. 
Washington's  diary  records  that  "the 
Vice-President,  the  Governor,  the  Sena- 
tors, members  of  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives, foreign  public  characters 
[doubtless  the  diplomats],  and  all  the 
respectable  citizens  came  between  the 
156 


Social  Backgrounds 

hours  of  twelve  and  three,  to  pay  the 
compliments  of  the  season  to  me,"  while 
both  ladies  and  gentlemen  called  on  Mrs. 
Washington  in  the  afternoon. 

An  inauguration  ball  was  given  soon 
after  the  installation  of  our  first  Presi- 
dent, who  took  part  in  the  dancing,  an 
amusement  to  which  he  is  thought  to 
have  been  partial.  The  State  or  public 
dinners  which  he  gave  were  the  ancestors 
of  the  modern  State  banquets  at  the 
White  House.  These  took  place  once  a 
week  at  four  o'clock,  the  guests  some- 
times reaching  the  number  of  twenty-two, 
in  addition  to  the  hosts  and  the  secre- 
taries who  lived  in  the  house.  The  cook- 
ing and  service  were  both  good,  the  at- 
tendants wearing  the  bright  livery  of  the 
Washingtons,  and  moving  quietly.  The 
General's  powers  of  military  discipline 
stood  him  in  good  stead  here,  for  later 
Presidents  have  not  always  found  it 
easy  to  prevent  noise  among  the  domes- 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

tics  of  the  household.  We  hear  much  of 
the  elegance  at  the  White  House  under 
a  much  later  regime — President  Arthur's 
— which  was  due  in  great  measure  to 
the  same  cause  —  namely,  the  superior 
quality  of  his  servants,  white  men  re- 
placing their  more  easy-going  colored 
brethren. 

At  the  expiration  of  Washington's  last 
term  of  office,  he  gave  a  dinner  to  his 
successor  and  Mrs.  Adams,  thus  estab- 
lishing a  courteous  fashion  which  has 
prevailed  ever  since,  with  some  ex- 
ceptions. 

The  heated  political  feeling  at  the  time 
of  the  election  of  General  Jackson  to  the 
Presidency  made  the  hero  of  New  Orleans 
neglect  to  call  upon  John  Quincy  Adams, 
and  the  latter  took  a  revenge  of  doubtful 
wisdom,  when  he  staid  away  from  the 
noisy  inauguration  ceremonies  of  his  suc- 
cessor. Andrew  Johnson  also  failed  at 
the  close  of  his  administration  to  ac- 
158 


Social  Backgrounds 

company  General  Grant  to  the  Capitol, 
owing  to  a  personal  quarrel  between  the 
two  men. 

It  is  interesting  to  find  the  Cabinet 
ladies  assisting  Lady  Washington  at  her 
receptions,  thus  laying  the  foundation  of 
another  official  custom.  These  weekly 
Drawing-Rooms  lasted  from  seven  until 
nine,  and  the  feminine  guests,  after  mak- 
ing a  deep  courtesy  to  the  Presidential 
pair,  sat  down.  The  fashion  of  having 
ladies  stand  until  the  Chief  Magistrate 
takes  his  seat  is  of  later  date.  The  little 
story  of  the  removal  of  the  chairs  at 
Washington's  levees  points  to  his  having 
taken  this  discreet  way  to  prevent  gen- 
tlemen from  sitting  down  on  such  occa- 
sions of  ceremony. 

When  the  seat  of  the  National  Govern- 
ment was  transferred  to  Washington, 
President  John  Adams  and  his  clever 
wife  Abigail  found  themselves  in  a 
"  great  castle, "  the  unfinished  White 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

House,  in  the  midst  of  a  wilderness  dot- 
ted by  a  few  scattered  houses.  George- 
town was  the  centre  of  society  for  some 
years.  The  Adams's  entertained  with 
the  formality  characteristic  of  the  pre- 
vious administration,  and  enforced  rigor- 
ously the  rules  of  precedence. 

President  Jefferson  completely  upset 
all  these  ceremonious  doings.  He  held 
no  levees,  and  only  two  yearly  receptions 
— on  New  Year's  Day  and  Fourth  of 
July.  Any  one  who  wished  to  see  him 
could  call  at  any  time.  He  made  an 
effort  to  do  away  with  all  rules  of  prece- 
dence, declaring  that  in  society,  all  stood 
on  an  equality,  and  his  Cabinet  were 
bidden  to  carry  out  the  same  doctrine  in 
their  own  homes.  Unfortunately  for  the 
prevalence  of  his  views,  the  new  Presi- 
dent overshot  the  mark.  We  could  for- 
give him  for  giving  up  a  cream-colored 
coach,  if  it  were  "  stuff  of  the  conscience/' 
though  the  six  beautiful  horses  tossing 
160 


Social  Backgrounds 

their  white  manes  appeal  strongly  to  our 
latter-day  fancy.  But  when  it  comes  to 
slovenliness  in  dress  as  a  protest  against 
aristocracy,  it  is  carrying  matters  too 
far. 

The  "social  anarchy "  introduced  by 
President  Jefferson  was  promptly  brought 
to  an  end  when  Madison  succeeded  him, 
and  Mrs.  Dolly  Madison,  most  popular  of 
the  White  House  mistresses,  began  her 
beneficent  reign.  An  inauguration  ball 
fitly  opened  an  administration  which  re- 
stored the  banished  elegances  of  an  earlier 
day,  levees,  weekly  dinner-parties,  and 
receptions.  To  Mrs.  Madison's  courage 
and  energy  were  due  the  saving  of  Wash- 
ington's portrait,  trunks  full  of  Cabinet 
papers,  and  the  White  House  plate,  at 
the  time  when  the  British  set  fire  to  the 
President's  house,  during  the  War  of 
1812.  The  Dolly  Madison  silver  was 
melted  up  and  made  into  new  shapes  dur- 
ing President  Cleveland's  term  of  office, 
161 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

by  orders  of  the  lady  of  the  White  House, 
Congress  refusing  to  make  sufficient  ap- 
propriations to  enable  her  to  replenish 
the  stock  of  plate.  Mrs.  Cleveland  after- 
wards greatly  regretted  this  obliteration 
of  historic  forms. 

It  delights  our  sense  of  the  fitness  of 
things  to  find  that  one  of  the  distin- 
guished Adams  family  drew  up  the 
regulations  as  to  precedence  and  first 
calls  which  form  the  foundation  of  mod- 
ern official  etiquette.  This  was  during 
the  administration  of  President  Monroe, 
when  the  Cabinet  officers,  Senate,  and  Dip- 
lomatic Corps  had  one  of  their  perennial 
discussions,  not  to  say  disputes.  John 
Quincy  Adams,  then  Secretary  of  State, 
had  seen  service  at  European  courts, 
and  the  family  of  the  President  were 
also  familiar  with  foreign  usages.  Hence 
we  owe  to  Monroe's  administration  not 
only  the  political  maxim  to  which  he 
has  given  name,  but  another  form  of 
162 


Social  Backgrounds 

Monroe  doctrine  that  is  also,  like 
the  original,  an  importation  from  Eu- 
rope. 

Some  historians  declare  emphatically 
that  the  hero  of  Democracy,  Andrew 
Jackson,  was  distinguished  by  good-man- 
ners. However  this  may  have  been,  he 
certainly  did  not  improve  the  tone  of 
society  at  Washington,  and  inaugurated 
the  day  of  vast  crowds  and  popular  hand- 
shakings. The  throngs  of  people  who 
visited  the  White  House  on  the  occasion 
of  his  inauguration,  compelled  his  friends 
to  make  a  circle  around  him,  that  he 
might  not  be  crushed  against  the  wall 
by  the  surging  multitude  of  his  admir- 
ers. Some  of  these  climbed  upon  the 
furniture,  it  is  said,  leaving  the  marks  of 
their  muddy  boots  on  the  upholstery. 
It  is  unpleasant  to  Americans  of  the 
present  day  to  read  of  these  scenes,  yet 
we  must  remember  that  they  were  the 
natural  accompaniment  of  a  political 
163 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

change  desirable  in  itself.  The  accession 
of  Jackson  extended  to  the  people  at 
large,  the  power  before  held  by  a  few 
persons. 

The  new  Democracy,  jubilant  and  im- 
patient of  the  old  order  of  things,  were 
inclined  through  several  administrations 
to  confound  good  -  breeding  with  servile 
subservience.  The  comments  of  for- 
eigners on  our  country  and  its  manners, 
during  this  period  before  the  Civil  War, 
are  irritating  to  our  national  vanity,  yet 
the  castigation  we  received  with  tongue 
and  pen  was  in  a  measure  deserved. 
Like  bitter  medicine,  it  helped  us  to  re- 
cover a  more  healthy  tone!  In  the 
Souvenirs  of  a  Diplomat,  private  letters 
written  by  the  French  Minister  Pleni- 
potentiary at  Washington,  in  the  days  of 
Presidents  Van  Buren,  Harrison,  and 
Tyler,  we  find  wailings  at  the  fate  oblig- 
ing him  to  remain  in  so  uncivilized  a 
land!  He  describes  a  visit  to  the  Secre- 
164 


Social  Backgrounds 

tary  of  the  Treasury,  where  he  saw  several 
other  heads  of  departments.  One  lay 
down  on  the  sofa,  "thus  presenting  the 
soles  of  his  boots  to  us";  another  chewed 
tobacco,  and  took  off  his  coat,  the  day 
being  warm!  The  Chevalier  de  Bacourt 
gave  a  grand  dinner  to  the  Secretary  of 
State,  "who  sent  a  regret  just  as  we 
were  sitting  down  to  dinner,  after  wait- 
ing more  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  It 
appears  that  Americans  think  no  more 
of  this  than  of  any  other  breach  of 
politeness!" 

The  fierce  fire  of  the  Civil  War  put  an 
end  to  those  early,  primitive  days  when 
the  nation  was  like  an  awkward  and 
boastful  half -grown  lad!  A  strong  de- 
sire for  culture  and  refinement  now  pos- 
sesses our  people,  and  shows  its  influence 
in  the  social  usages  of  the  National  Cap- 
ital. Should  these  become  too  stereo- 
typed, doubtless  some  reformer  will  lop 
away  any  excess  of  red  tape.  Before 
165 


Social  Usages  at  Washington 

attempting  the  task,  let  him  read  the 
memoirs  of  the  "savage  period/'  lest 
our  fair  Capital  again  become  a  prey  to 
barbaric  manners. 


THE    END 


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U.C.BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


